The Tourism Councillor of Gran Canaria, Carlos Álamo, highlights the strength of the destination at a time of international uncertainty
The island generated €2.003,7 million in revenue in the first quarter of 2026, an increase of €116,4 million year-on-year. The German market showed the strongest growth (23%), while Nordic countries remained the largest spenders, at €560 million.
The tourist destination of Gran Canaria closed the accounts for the first quarter of 2026 with 2.003,7 million euros in revenue, representing a 6,17% improvement compared to the same period in 2025. This data—the second time in history that tourist spending has exceeded 2.000 billion euros in this part of the year—occurred with a stable number of visitors, as tourist arrivals were 1% higher than in the first quarter of the previous year.
Spending per tourist and stay reached an average of 1.620,75 euros in the first three months of the year, with a growth of 4,18%, according to data from ISTAC.
“The destination’s performance data is positive in an international scenario as marked by uncertainty as the current one,” said Carlos Álamo, Tourism Councillor of the Gran Canaria Island Council, who explained that “the increase is mainly driven by the German and Dutch markets.”
The councilor indicated that the increase in revenue “reflects the strength of our destination as a priority and safe option for European customers. It is worth remembering that we have broken revenue records in recent years, and it is noteworthy that we continue on this path of growth and stability, at a complex time, which is what the sector needs.”
Álamo explained that average spending per traveler has increased, with indicators slightly exceeding inflation. This, combined with moderate growth in the number of visitors, offsets the decline in overnight stays, meaning that revenue and spending per customer, unlike in other destinations, are holding steady and even improving.
The councilor added that tourists continue to choose Gran Canaria, but the effects of international uncertainty and the fuel crisis have led to increased transportation costs, and in response, customers have shortened their stays. “We are maintaining customer loyalty, as they don't want to give up their visit to Gran Canaria, and we are holding onto our revenue,” Álamo noted.
By source market, Germany emerged as the main driver of tourism growth, registering a 23,23% increase in total spending, equivalent to €96,9 million more than in 2025, with total expenditure reaching €514 million. The Nordic countries, despite spending 2,8% less, remain the leaders in spending, with €560 million. The Netherlands also stood out, with an 18,67% increase to €125,5 million; and the United Kingdom, which experienced a more moderate rise of 3,24% but reached €317,3 million in spending. In contrast, the domestic market reduced its spending by 7,69%.
Average tourist spending reached €1.620,75, 4,18% higher than in the first quarter of 2025. German tourists showed the largest increase in individual spending, with a rise of 17,39%, followed by visitors from Spain and the Netherlands. Conversely, the British market experienced a reduction of nearly 8% in average spending per visitor. Despite this, tourists from Germany and the Nordic countries continue to be the profiles with the highest spending power.
As for average daily spending, this reached €183,93 per tourist per day, a 5,29% increase compared to the previous year. The largest increase was recorded among Spanish tourists, whose daily spending rose by 22,69%, followed by Dutch and German visitors. The United Kingdom was once again the exception, with a 7,10% decrease in daily spending.
Finally, the councilor recalled that Gran Canaria's tourism strategy prioritizes revenue over the number of visitors and encourages customer spending in businesses across the 21 municipalities, which has led to an increase in revenue in the so-called "non-tourist" municipalities of over 60% in recent years.
