Gran Canaria registered a new record in 2017 with more than 4,075,000 foreign visitors, according to the latest report published by Spanish Airport Authority AENA, growing 8.29% over the previous year with 312,000 more foreigners having chosen to visit the island.
The figures reinforce Gran Canaria’s position, say the tourism board, as one of Europe’s preferred tourist destinations throughout the year and once again highlights the importance of the British, German, and Nordic markets, which between them amount to more than 3 million passengers last year, remaining as the pillars of the island’s tourism sector, said Gran Canaria’s Minister of Tourism, Inés Jiménez.
German tourism saw growth of 3.4%, accumulating to 1,051,500, fully 34,600 more people than the previous year, while the combined Nordic markets increased their passenger volume by 6.3%, adding an extra 61,800 more passengers, to total 1,032,600 visitors from either Norway, Sweden, Denmark or Finland.
The largest percentage increase by far among the primary markets, however, was from the United Kingdom, exceeding 943,170 visitors last year, an increase of 14.5%, with 119,400 more than in 2016.
243,900 Dutch arrived, 19,500 more, an increase of 8.7% and 119,000 Belgian travelers flew in, just ahead of the 114,200 Swiss, while 98,000 Italians produced a 10.6% in their passenger numbers with 9,400 more arriving than in 2016.
From emerging markets, 85,460 passengers from Poland produced an increase of 19% (+13,680). Ireland saw a growth of 4.7% to reach 84,900 passengers, while 69,400 French produced an increase in excess of 16.8% sending 10,000 more passengers. 35,700 flew in from Austria, a rise of 24% increasing by 6,900 visitors, one of the largest percentage increases of the year.
The Nordic market, leader of arrivals in December
410,000 international passengers arrived on the island during December, an increase of 2.3% (+9,400) compared to the same period last year. Nordic countries, a market traditionally linked to winter tourism, accounted for 38% of total arrivals, by sending us 156,500 travelers, an increase of 2.8%.
26% more came from Germany (+6,500) to total 107,400 passengers, while more than 61,400 passengers flew to Gran Canaria from the United Kingdom. 18,850 Dutch people visited in December confirming a 13% with 2,200 more people.
9,300 visitors arrived from Belgium, (+3.8%), Switzerland (+12%), Poland (+11.6).
While welcome news, the infrastructure in Gran Canaria must be improved to support more tourists. We have had no running water in a section of Puerto Rico for five days. The telephone number provided by the water supplier is never answered. No explanation is available. This is not a standard that most European tourists expect.