The Santa Cruz de Tenerife Carnival 2024 will go down in history as the most engaging in recent years, as it brought together over a million people from the start of the contests on January 18, until Piñata Sunday on February 18.
A month of celebration and enjoyment has resulted in an investment of over 5 million euros by the city council and has generated an economic impact of nearly £39 million for the city, including the direct expenses of residents and tourists, as announced today by the mayor of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, José Manuel Bermúdez, during the official review of the Carnival.
In addition, the number of tourists reached a record high with over 185,000 visitors during the two weeks of street celebrations, and the hotel occupancy rate averaged almost 88%, which is nearly 15 points higher than the pre-party reservation rate.
Mayor José Manuel Bermúdez made these statements at a municipality packed with all the members who have contributed to one of the “safest and most internationally significant carnivals in the world”. He was accompanied by the first Deputy Mayor, Carlos Tarife, the Councilor for Festivals, Javier Caraballero, the Councilor for Security, Gladis de León, and the CEO of the Development Society, Carmen Pérez.
Further data presented at the Carnival’s conclusion reported that the Carnival Hospital treated a total of 665 people from February 9 to 18 (street festival days), marking a 12% decrease in the total number of treatments compared to 2023. The majority of cases were related to alcohol intoxication (552 people), as well as 42 cases of assault. The Local Police made five arrests, three for thefts and two for sexual assaults.
Despite the increase in public attendance compared to previous years, the total waste collected decreased by almost one ton compared to 2023. There was also an increase in the collection of packaging and cardboard, indicating greater awareness and engagement in recycling.