canary islands tourist numbers march 2026 growth

Canary Islands See Steady Tourist Growth in March 2026

Canary Islands Welcome Over 1.6 Million Tourists in March

The Canary Islands received 1,605,744 international air passengers in March 2026, representing a 1.5% increase compared to the same month last year, according to data published today by Turespaña. For the year to date, the archipelago has welcomed 4,565,383 foreign tourists, a rise of 1.8% over the same period in 2025.

National and International Passenger Trends

Nationally, Spain received 8.6 million international air passengers in March, a 6.6% year-on-year increase. Some 85.7% of total passenger flow came from Europe, rising by 7.3%. Traffic from America, representing 9.5% of the total, grew by 7.6%. Asia, which accounts for 1.7% of passengers, experienced a significant decline of 36.3%.

Low-cost carriers (LCCs) were chosen by 60% of passengers, with a notable increase of 9.7%. The remaining 40% who travelled with traditional airlines saw a smaller rise of 2.4%. For the first quarter of the year, Spain received nearly 22.4 million international passengers, a 5.8% increase, equating to 1.2 million additional arrivals.

Key Source Markets: UK and Germany Lead

March saw increased arrivals from most key markets, except France. Year-on-year growth from Poland and Ireland was notable, as was the positive trend from the United States. In terms of market diversification, China, South Korea, and Brazil saw significant increases. Conversely, arrivals from the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Israel declined, influenced by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

The UK, a traditional market, sent around 1.8 million international passengers, generating 20.8% of Spain’s total inbound flow—a 10.9% annual increase. The Canary Islands were the top destination for British tourists, capturing 34.2% of the UK market share, followed by the Valencian Community (18%) and Andalusia (15.9%).

Germany sent 1.1 million passengers (13.2% of the total), returning to positive growth with a substantial 32% year-on-year rise, largely driven by increases to the Balearic Islands and Andalusia. As with British tourists, the Canary Islands were the leading destination for Germans, with a 29.5% market share, though this represented a 2.4% annual contraction.

Performance of Other European Markets

Italy provided 10.5% of March’s passenger flow (896,805), registering 5% annual growth which benefited almost all Spanish regions. The Valencian Community stood out with over 18,000 additional passengers. The exceptions were Cantabria and the Canary Islands, which saw significant declines. Catalonia and the Community of Madrid were the main recipients, accounting for 58.3% of Italian arrivals.

France sent 6.7% of total passengers, showing an annual contraction of 1.4%. The Community of Madrid captured 30.1% of these arrivals, and Catalonia 26.1%, with both regions seeing reductions. In contrast, Andalusia, Galicia, and the Balearic Islands increased their intake of French passengers.

Passengers from the Netherlands represented 4.5% of the total and experienced a slight recovery of 0.6%, largely due to a notable increase in arrivals to Andalusia. Their main destinations were Andalusia and the Valencian Community.

Regional Breakdown and Airport Traffic

In March, Spain’s six main autonomous communities accounted for 97.5% of total arrivals, all registering increases. The Canary Islands recorded the smallest rise at 1.5%. The Community of Madrid captured the largest number of passengers (25.4%), followed by Catalonia (20.3%) and the Canary Islands (18.7%).

The flow of arrivals on traditional airlines was led by the Community of Madrid with a 48.7% share. Among low-cost carriers, Catalonia was the main recipient, with a 24.4% share. In terms of airports, Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas led, handling 2.1 million passengers, a 3.8% increase. According to Turespaña, the airport with the highest annual growth was Seville, at 15.9%.

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