Tourism on La Palma definitively leaves the shadow of the Tajogaite volcano behind
La Palma’s tourism sector has finally moved on from the long shadow cast by the Tajogaite volcano. The island closed July with hotel and extra-hotel occupancy of 75.89 per cent – the largest growth recorded anywhere in the Canary Islands compared with the same period last year.
The figure represents an increase of more than ten percentage points on the 65.6 per cent registered in July 2025 and confirms the recovery of a destination that has spent the past few years fighting to regain its footing following the 2021 volcanic eruption.
Second highest occupancy in the province
According to the survey carried out by the Observatory of Tourism Competitiveness and Sustainable Development of Ashotel, La Palma now ranks as the island with the second highest occupancy in the province, trailing only Tenerife, which reached 81.63 per cent. La Gomera, by contrast, remained at 50.5 per cent.
Yet it is the Isla Bonita that is enjoying the most remarkable evolution of the summer, thanks to growth that consolidates the return of both domestic and international visitors.
Recovery after years of eruption fallout
The recovery comes after several years marked by the consequences of the Tajogaite eruption, which destroyed around 5,000 tourist beds and severely affected a significant portion of the accommodation offering and infrastructure in the Valle de Aridane. The progressive reopening of strategic areas such as Puerto Naos, together with improved road links and the restoration of air connectivity, has enabled the destination to once again position itself among the most attractive in the archipelago.
Much of this upturn can be attributed to the increase in international routes, the addition of more flight seats and the strong performance of the mainland Spanish market. Add to that the phenomenon of last-minute bookings, which once again pushed occupancy above the forecasts made at the start of the summer.
August outlook even stronger
Prospects suggest the trend will continue through August. Ashotel-affiliated hotels already have forward bookings of 81.74 per cent – another figure that improves on the same month last year by more than ten points and points to one of the best summers the sector has enjoyed since before the volcanic crisis.
Although Tenerife continues to lead in absolute occupancy levels, it is La Palma that is recording the biggest advance of the summer. For the island’s tourism industry, these figures represent far more than a good statistical result: they confirm that the destination has won back travellers’ confidence and cement a revival that seemed unthinkable just a few years ago, when the Tajogaite eruption brought one of the island’s main economic engines to its knees.
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