The Tourism Department of the Gran Canaria Island Council presents a review of the history of the island's social and economic development in an initiative that is part of its 50th anniversary calendar.
“That initial challenge of organization and planning transformed us from pioneers to leaders in certain products, customer loyalty, and a consolidated relationship with several European countries,” Antonio Morales noted.
“This is a tribute to the protagonists and an emotional journey through our collective memory, a journey through five decades of work, commitment, and shared enthusiasm,” said Councilor Carlos Álamo.
The development of tourism in Gran Canaria has run parallel to the island's profound economic, social, and cultural transformation. Over the last five decades, its consolidation has been key in shaping the current economic model and building an open, dynamic identity connected to Europe and the world, although some aspects of this trajectory remain relatively unknown.
With the aim of highlighting this route, Gran Canaria Tourism premiered the documentary this Tuesday at the CICCA “Tourism in Gran Canaria. 50 years, one destination, one future”Directed by Michel Jorge Millares and produced by Jorge Márquez, the piece, created to mark the 50th anniversary of the organization—formerly the Provincial Tourism Board—, traces the evolution of the destination and highlights its role in the island's development over half a century.
The President of the Gran Canaria Island Council, Antonio Morales, emphasized that “that initial challenge of organization and planning transformed us from pioneers to leaders in certain products, in customer loyalty, and in the consolidated relationship with several European countries that choose us as their preferred destination.” After viewing the documentary, he added: “We have been able to confirm the enormous lack of knowledge we had about the main economic activity of our island and its influence on almost every aspect of our lives and our history.”
The island councilor for Tourism, Carlos Álamo, defined the work as “a tribute to its protagonists and an emotional journey through our collective memory, a journey through five decades of work, commitment and shared enthusiasm.”
Running for 55 minutes, the documentary traces the evolution of Gran Canaria as a tourist destination through testimonials that contextualize its economic and social transformation. The production highlights the role of tourism as an engine of progress and underscores the importance of the public-private partnership model in consolidating the Gran Canaria brand as a success story.
The piece addresses the main milestones in the island's tourism promotion and pays tribute to pioneering figures such as Antonio Cruz Caballero and Jesús Gómez Rodríguez. The narrative is supported by the testimonies of professionals and historical figures such as José Ortega, Carmen Cruz Lecat, Marta Cantero Lleó, Águeda Borges, Luis López Díaz, Mario Ferrer, Pepe Dámaso, Pilar Jorge, Tullio Gatti, and Pablo Llinares de Bethencourt, among others, who provide a collective perspective on the island's tourism development.
The documentary also reviews the origins of the Las Palmas Provincial Tourism Board, created in 1975 and initially comprised of Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, and Fuerteventura. A decade later, each island assumed management of its own organization, leading to the current structure of Gran Canaria Tourism.
During the event, Morales emphasized the need for constant reflection on the tourism model, identifying achievements, overcoming difficulties, and addressing the challenges of an increasingly complex context. He highlighted current challenges related to the energy transition, water sovereignty, and adaptation to climate change, all key to ensuring more sustainable tourism that is compatible with the quality of life for citizens.
Álamo emphasized that the history of Gran Canaria Tourism “is also the history of the island,” recalling the role of generations of professionals who have contributed to building a competitive, innovative and constantly evolving destination.
For his part, the documentary's director, Michel Jorge Millares, emphasized the value of the research, based on extensive investigation and previously unseen material. The film also highlights the role of women in the early stages of the professionalization of the tourism sector, emphasizing how their participation allowed access to skilled technical jobs and helped transform their role in Canarian society.
With this launch, Gran Canaria Tourism reinforces its commitment to preserving the memory of the sector and projecting, from the knowledge of its history, the challenges and opportunities of the future of the destination.
