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Breaking: Record Wave of Tourists on Tenerife in January 2025
Tenerife experienced an unprecedented influx of tourists in January 2025, breaking all previous visitor records. The number of guests surpassed one million people, marking a 40% increase compared to the same period last year.
While the island has always been popular with winter tourists, the current situation significantly exceeds the capacity of local infrastructure. As a result, this record-breaking tourist wave has triggered a series of significant social and economic changes across the island. This phenomenon has sparked heated debate among local authorities, residents, and tourism industry representatives, posing new, unprecedented challenges for the island community.
Record Tourism Statistics
According to data published by the Government of the Canary Islands, the archipelago achieved an absolute record in tourist numbers in 2024, welcoming a total of 18 million guests.
Analysis of arrivals in January 2025
Statistics indicate a significant increase in tourist traffic on Tenerife. In December 2024 alone, the islands were visited by 1,373,879 international tourists, representing a 12.65% increase compared to the same period of the previous year. Furthermore, the average length of stay for tourists on the islands was 9.03 days.
Comparison with previous years
From a historical perspective, the growth in popularity of the Canary Islands is impressive. Over the decade, the number of visitors increased from 11.5 million to over 16 million annually. Tenerife, as the archipelago's most popular island, welcomed over 7 million tourists in 2024. Concurrently, tourist spending significantly increased – in 2023, it rose by 24.98% compared to the previous year, reaching 2 billion euros.
Main sources of tourist traffic
In terms of nationality, Britons dominate, accounting for 40% of all arrivals. Tourists from mainland Spain also constitute a significant group – approximately 2.5 million people annually. It is worth noting that Poles are also a substantial group of visitors – in 2023, nearly a million of our compatriots arrived in the Canary Islands.
Compared to other regions of Spain, the Canary Islands generate a quarter of the country's total tourist spending (26%), surpassing Catalonia (17.3%) and Andalusia (15.3%). The average daily expenditure per tourist is 169 euros, while total spending per person reached 1,526 euros in December.
Reasons for Increased Popularity
The significant increase in Tenerife's popularity is linked to several key factors that contributed to the record number of visitors in January 2025.
New flight connections
LOT Polish Airlines launched direct flights from Warsaw to Tenerife, operating three times a week – on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. Flights are operated by modern Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft, offering a comfortable journey lasting approximately 6 hours. Furthermore, the first scheduled flight departed on November 27 at 07:40, allowing tourists to reach the island by early afternoon.
Attractive package holiday prices
Travel agencies have prepared competitive offers for the winter season 2024/2025. For instance, an 8-day stay at the Be Live Experience Orotava hotel with an all-inclusive package and flights from Gdańsk is available from just 1999 PLN per person. Concurrently, tour operators have introduced flexible payment options, offering low deposits and best price guarantees.
Marketing and island promotion
The authorities of Santa Cruz de Tenerife have invested significant funds in tourism development. A budget of 44 million euros has been allocated for promotion and infrastructure development. The development program, planned until 2026, focuses on:
Restoration of historical heritage
Sustainable infrastructure development
Intensive promotion on social media
Mayor Manuel Bermúdez emphasizes that the city aspires to be not only the administrative capital but also the island's tourism capital. As part of the promotional strategy, particular emphasis has been placed on the development of the port in Santa Cruz and the organization of cultural events, including the famous carnival.
Additionally, the island is promoted as a year-round tourist destination, affirming its nickname "Island of Eternal Spring." The southern part of the island, characterized by higher temperatures and sandy beaches, is a particularly attractive destination for tourists seeking sun during the winter months.
Impact on Local Infrastructure
The record influx of tourists to Tenerife has caused severe strain on local infrastructure, presenting the island's authorities with unprecedented logistical challenges.
Airport and transport congestion
Tenerife South Airport (Reina Sofia) is grappling with serious capacity issues. The Confederation of Entrepreneurs (CEOE) warns of long queues at check-in and security control. Tuesdays and Fridays are particularly critical, with the terminal struggling to efficiently handle increased passenger traffic. Furthermore, significant problems with ground transportation persist – passengers face long waits for taxis, while many vehicles return empty to their municipalities.
Accommodation availability
The housing situation on the island has become critical. Approximately 34% of Canary Islands residents live in poverty, and on Tenerife, a group of about 30 people live in tents and caravans due to a lack of available housing. As a result:
Rental prices have risen to levels exceeding the financial capabilities of the average resident
Property owners prefer short-term rentals for tourists
Real estate agencies openly discriminate against local residents, directing offers exclusively to foreign clients
Pressure on municipal services
Above all, a significant strain on basic municipal services is evident. Many regions of the island experience water supply interruptions. However, hotels continue to consume thousands of litres of drinking water daily to maintain green areas, exacerbating the scarcity.