canary islands tourism marketing strategy innovation

How Canary Islands Tourism Became a Marketing Pioneer

A Step Ahead: The Award-Winning Strategy

Always one step ahead. The numbers are no coincidence. For years, Turismo de Islas Canarias, the public company responsible for promoting the destination, has been playing in a different league when it comes to marketing. Moving away from the conventional and betting on creativity has allowed them to position themselves as one of the leading brands in tourist destination promotion. This is reflected in the more than 60 awards they have received in the last five years. Originality and innovation underpin all their projects, alongside a strong identity pivoting on core values that infuse every campaign they launch worldwide. “We don’t just throw ideas out wildly; there is a strategy we have been working on since 2017. In marketing, we are absolute pioneers,” states Elena González, Marketing Director of Turismo de Islas Canarias.

A Data-Driven Digital Ecosystem

With the idea of “going one step further,” the public company has managed to generate a digital ecosystem with powerful international impact, while also investing in entertainment-linked content, which has allowed it to stand out. They set aside standard advertising for less conventional formulas like reality shows, podcasts, or video games to promote the Archipelago and generate greater impact on potential travellers. “You can’t play the same game as everyone else because if you do, you’re dead,” acknowledges González. Success does not happen overnight. For years, Turismo de Islas Canarias has invested in developing a “solid” digital ecosystem based on data obtained from users, allowing them to personalise messages. They are present in 20 markets, generating around 20,000 daily impacts. Their website is available in 18 languages and their social media posts are in ten. “It’s a complex system; each market has its own story and needs, and the conversation with the audience must be adapted to truly reach people,” explains the Marketing head.

They adapt to markets and also to traveller segments. So much so, that their website is personalised, offering each individual content tailored to their tastes and needs. “Our entire strategy is backed by data,” assures González. And digital content is not the only thing they adapt. They are not content with launching a campaign devised in an office; the actions that sell the attractions of the Islands around the world are also adjusted to each market, attempting to break the norm. “Using technology, we managed to adjust advertisements in real-time that changed according to the weather at the destination, selling the Canaries as an ideal alternative,” explains González. This is not the only example. By leveraging social listening, Turismo de Islas Canarias adapted the messages in one of its campaigns to very local current affairs, encouraging travellers to visit the Archipelago as an alternative to the day-to-day problems in the destinations where the promotions were launched. “You connect very well with people because you are talking about a topic that is very close to them,” highlights the Marketing head.

Creativity in Conventional Formats

Creativity and innovation are their hallmark, even when it comes to more conventional advertising. The campaign “The sun changes your mood” used sustainable graffiti to create a more cheerful, summery version of the shadows of renowned London figures like Sherlock Holmes, Winston Churchill, or Franklin D. Roosevelt. This proposal attracted public interest and went viral on social media. The goal of these innovative proposals is to move away from the rejection caused in users by advertising saturation and conventional formats. Capturing travellers’ attention is an ever-greater challenge, and Turismo de Islas Canarias has focused its strategy on generating content that goes beyond a one-off advertising impact. The key, they argue, is to inspire emotion, to tell stories that people feel part of. “Creating an emotional relationship with the brand is what will make you memorable or not,” states González. And the Canary Islands are an ideal setting for this. “We have a host of attributes that help us create narratives; our product is good enough that we don’t need to force it in,” she argues.

Entertainment as a Gateway

Once the type of content linked to the brand is defined, the next step is to find a way for potential travellers to choose that content from the infinite existing offer. How? By integrating it into formats people enjoy: entertainment-linked projects. “It’s not about randomly throwing out happy ideas; it’s about identifying which audience we want to reach and focusing on how to do it,” explains González, who insists it is not about “entertaining for the sake of it” but about including values linked to the brand. And they have done very well. The projects are diverse. One is Rakuten’s “Discovering Canary Islands,” an adventure reality show now in its second season, promoting the Archipelago in 42 European countries. Contestants from eight different nationalities search for the mythical island of San Borondón and compete to be Europe’s best explorer through various challenges on the Islands, showcasing not just Canarian landscapes but also local culture and traditions.

Pioneering Immersive Video Games

The leap into entertainment is not a one-off idea. It is a consolidated line of work that has found in digital formats a direct way to connect with new generations. One of the clearest examples is the video game “Find the Seasouls,” a proposal that confirms how much the strategy has anticipated changes in consumption habits. Since late 2024, this project offers an immersive experience in the Archipelago, allowing users to digitally explore the Islands while discovering 160 creatures inspired by local marine fauna. The initiative combines entertainment, learning, and environmental awareness, with an approach specially designed to connect with younger audiences. Sustainability, one of the pillars of the brand narrative, is thus naturally integrated into the game’s development. The result has been a resounding success. The proposal has been very well received and has reinforced the destination’s presence in the gaming territory, where there are few precedents in the European tourism sector. So much so that, following this project, various companies in the sector have begun knocking on the door of Turismo de Islas Canarias, interested in exploring new collaborations.

Their foray into this field is not limited to one title. They have also turned the Archipelago into the main setting for *El legado del Sol de Occidente*, the free expansion of the video game *Tadeo Jones: La Tabla Esmeralda*, developed with PlayStation Talents and Mediaset Games. Users accompany the popular archaeologist across the eight islands and the mythical San Borondón in search of a lost treasure. The journey allows them to discover landscapes, legends, and cultural elements.

Cinema, Audio and Future Horizons

Behind these projects, there is no improvisation. Many proposals initially brought to the entity do not fit what they are looking for. A transformation process then begins where ideas are reviewed, reformulated, and adapted until they align with the brand’s values. They only see the light of day when that fit is total. “Sometimes an interesting seed arrives, but the approach isn’t right. We work on it until it responds exactly to what we want to tell,” explains González. Beyond video games, the strategy extends to other formats. Cinema is one of them. The film “A una isla de ti” features locations like the port and valley of Agaete, the Elder Museum of Science and Technology, the dunes of Maspalomas, or the beaches of Fuerteventura, integrating the destination into the narrative “naturally and unobtrusively.” The feature film also addresses LGBT themes from a perspective removed from the usual clichés and conflicts, showing an open, diverse environment fully integrated into daily life.

Audio is another explored territory. The fictional audio podcast “Simulacro” proposes a journey across the eight islands through a suspense thriller. Spaces like Timanfaya, the dunes of Corralejo, Risco Caído, or Mount Teide cease to be a simple backdrop and become integrated into the plot. With this diversification of formats, the strategy continues to expand its reach. On the horizon, new projects linked to elite sport and major international events, like the Olympic Games or the Football World Cup, are taking shape, aiming to increase visibility in emerging markets and consolidate their global positioning.

A Singular Public Success Story

All this comes with an added condition that makes the case especially unique. Turismo de Islas Canarias is a public entity, subject to political changes and the dynamics of public administration. However, it has managed to build a solid strategy, sustained over time and immune to partisan shifts. “The brand does not breathe political ideology. When you understand its identity, the logical thing is to give it continuity,” underlines González.

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