Canary Islands Solidify Tourism Leadership in 2025
The Canary Islands have reinforced their position as a premier tourist destination, welcoming an impressive 11.4 million international visitors between January and September 2025. This represents a solid 4% increase compared to the same period the previous year. According to data released by Spain’s National Statistics Institute (INE), the total accumulated spending by these travelers slightly exceeded €18 billion, confirming the sector’s robust health in the archipelago.
September Figures Show Increased Spending Power
In September alone, the islands attracted 1.1 million foreign tourists, a figure on par with September 2024. However, the total expenditure saw a significant 8% jump, reaching €1.699 billion. This indicates that while visitor numbers held steady, their economic impact grew substantially. The average spend per tourist was €1,536, and the average daily expenditure rose to €201, marking a 6.8% increase from the year before.
A Destination for Longer, Quality Stays
A key indicator of the destination’s stability is the average length of trips, which stood at 7.6 days. This data point reinforces the Canary Islands’ reputation as a destination for extended international holidays, appealing to travelers seeking more than just a short break.
Spain’s Record-Breaking Tourism Year
This success story is part of a broader national trend. Spain itself set a new historical record in the first nine months of the year, receiving 76.4 million international visitors by September—a 3.5% year-on-year increase. The sector’s dynamism is not just about numbers; the economic impact is even more pronounced. Total tourist spending surpassed €105 billion by September, marking a more significant growth of 7% compared to the previous year.
Quality Over Quantity: A National Trend
This spending growth, which outpaces the growth in visitor numbers, underscores a nationwide increase in tourism quality. It highlights Spain’s ability to attract visitors with greater purchasing power or those who choose to extend their stays. In September, Spain welcomed 9.7 million international tourists (a 0.8% annual increase), who spent over €13.3 billion in the country—a notable 6% more than in September 2024. The increase in international tourist spending was 5.2 percentage points higher than the increase in foreign visitors.
During that month, each tourist spent an average of €1,380, a 5.1% increase from the previous September. The average daily expenditure also grew by 4.5%, settling at €204. The majority of tourists (over 4.7 million) opted for stays of four to seven nights, a segment that saw a slight annual increase of 0.3%.
Top Regions and Source Markets
In terms of accumulated spending, the leading Autonomous Communities were Catalonia (18.5% of the total), the Canary Islands (17%), and the Balearic Islands (17.4%). Looking at visitor origin, the main source countries from January to September were the United Kingdom (with nearly 15.3 million visitors, a 4% increase), France (with over 10.2 million, a slight 0.1% decrease), and Germany (with over 9.5 million, a 1.4% increase). The top destinations for the year so far are Catalonia (15.8 million tourists), the Balearic Islands (13.7 million, up 3%), and Andalusia (11.5 million, a strong 7.3% increase).
