During his visit to the Archipelago he participated in the conference Dialogues for Recovery to analyze the current situation of tourism in the Canary Islands. What must the destination do to recover after the pandemic?
The last two years have been very hard for all destinations, not just for the Islands. But there are already very important numbers of reservations for the summer season and also for the fall. And this is happening because the idea is possibly coming that the Canary Islands have done things well after the pandemic, we are very optimistic.
Is the Canary Islands a safe destination in health matters?
Totally, from what I have seen in the three islands that I have visited, the standards are very good, they are very high. On the one hand, it was very important to go to La Palma and give support to the people there. And in Tenerife and Gran Canaria we have visited hotels from different chains: Lopesan, Cordial, GF Hotels in Tenerife, Taburiente, etc. And they all had very high standards. A survey has been carried out among travel agents in Germany and the Canary Islands come out very well positioned as one of the safest destinations in the world and that has best executed safety and hygiene measures. In hotel protocols they are the best. And that in the German market is known, it is understood that the Canary Islands are a very safe place. We cannot forget that the pandemic began in a hotel in Tenerife and the hoteliers and the Canary Islands and national federations made an enormous effort, this work was very noticeable. And they continued to implement all hygiene regulations. In the end, this episode was positive for the future of the Canary Islands.
What tasks remain pending in the Islands to return to the figures of 2019?
The first is to maintain hygiene and safety standards because the pandemic is not over and we must not lower our guard. The second thing is to continue betting on quality, not only in infrastructure but also in services. And show all the activities offered by the Islands: hiking, mountain excursions, bicycle routes, etc. In addition, you must invest in sustainability and maintain authenticity, which is what Germans value most.
Are you still associating the Islands only with sun and beach tourism?
The image is better than it was five or ten years ago, but much remains to be done.
What are the prospects for the Canary Islands this year?
This year we are a little more optimistic and hope to get closer to the figures for 2019, at the same volume of reserves before the pandemic began. In recent months there has been a lot of concern about the omicron variant but we have seen how in recent weeks the reservations for April, May and June have grown. In the summer season we have good booking figures, so we are on the right track. We hope that the Canary Islands will reach 80% of the 2019 reserves in the coming months of 2022. The general outlook is good for this year, understanding that with this disease we must always be very cautious.
Will the Balearic Islands have more success than the Canary Islands at Easter?
We must not forget that the Balearic Islands is the number one destination in Germany and its high season starts now and lasts throughout the summer. But other more important competitors such as Turkey, Egypt, and other Mediterranean countries will be less successful this year because the German tourist does not perceive that it is still in the security and hygiene standards that they demand. So although the Canary Islands are not a traditional summer destination, this year they have an opportunity during those months since the rest are not prepared to receive so much tourism.
With this you can extend the high season …
Definitely yes. It is the opportunity for the Canary Islands to have a good summer season in the German market because now health security is what they value most when traveling. Above the price and everything.
So, what are the new direct competitors of the Archipelago?
In summer it will be the Balearic Islands and Greece, which has grown a lot.
And in winter?
The traditional competitors are Egypt, Dubai, now also the Dominican Republic. Turkey too, although it has worse weather in winter. What we are clear about is that we have very good expectations for the Canary Islands because it is much closer, it is only four hours by plane and it is much less risky.
In addition to the interest in health security, have other demands of the Germans changed after the pandemic?
Sustainability is super important to Germans. Going to destinations with a good concept of sustainability and an offer based on sustainability is super important. It is a growing concern.
In what specific aspects do they seek that sustainability?
They are interested in traceability, local products and their origin, that they are natural. Also everything that has to do with waste management, which is seen a lot in hotels. And in energy, like when you arrive in Gran Canaria and see the large wind turbines in the sea and you get the feeling that there is sustainability and that is great publicity for the island. It looks like a positive value. Also the issue of obtaining energy and if there are renewable energies in the hotels, tourists observe it a lot.
Do you think the Canary Islands meet these parameters?
The Canary Islands are on the right track, on a very good track. Now everyone talks about sustainability and that destinations offer it is not a thing of a month or two. It is not something that is achieved overnight.
And as for tastes, do German tourists prefer to travel for long periods of time?
There is debate about this. Travel patterns are changing a lot. And this is also related to sustainability because if you spend more days you are more sustainable because you don’t use as much plane. In this Europe is changing a lot. Extending the stay means for destinations to offer more experiences and activities, so we encourage destinations to work more on this. And we also believe that travel has more value, and not focus on paying the lowest fares. The cheapest is not the best.
What is the profile of the client who travels to the Islands?
People over 50 who travel in winter, silver tourism that is now so fashionable. We want the public that travels to the Canary Islands to be rejuvenated and extend it to more months of the year.
How has the role of travel agencies and tour operators changed?
Now the role of travel agencies is more important, especially in Germany, Holland, Belgium, Switzerland and Austria, because although people do searches online, the travel agent is the one who tells you that this law is still in force and that has not changed. Because with this pandemic there are many regulatory changes. There is a difference between buying the ticket and traveling, because many things can happen to you on the way. The travel agent is always there, he not only sells, he advises you and accompanies you on your trip. And customers in these countries are looking for it and paying for it. Before the pandemic, the number of sales of vacation packages had decreased, now this has grown again because it unifies you and the insurance coverage is much greater and the German client feels more secure with the packages. What digitalization has done is that the way in which the travel agent and the client or the destination are related has changed and now everything is more digital. They talk on the phone, by whats app, email, etc. The interrelation is by different means but the value is more important.
On his trip to La Palma, he offered himself as an interlocutor to clarify to the Germans that the island is a safe place. How will do?
The most important thing is to inform the client through the travel agencies and the travel agents themselves that what is in the photos of the volcano has already happened and that it was in a part of the island. Make it clear that you can now visit and that it is a wonderful island to see. The Germans think that it is devastated.
Will the volcano be a claim for German tourists in the future?
It will be a very attractive destination. There are many people interested in seeing the volcano and its effect.
