SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 13 Jul. (EUROPA PRESS) –
‘Simulacro’, the podcast co-produced by the Department of Tourism and Employment of the Government of the Canary Islands through Turismo de Islas Canarias, continues to lead the fiction genre on major platforms, attracting a listener base of over 500,000.
Since its debut, this audio series set in the archipelago has consistently held the top spot in fiction podcasts on Apple Podcasts in Spain, being chosen as one of its highlights for 2024, and currently ranking second on Spotify.
Released on April 17 as part of the promotional strategy for the mainland market, this psychological science fiction thriller, crafted by writer Julio Rojas and featuring Isak Férriz, along with Canarian actors Mónica López and Alberto San Juan, consists of ten episodes exploring various Canary Island landscapes.
“This initiative is a key part of the meticulous content strategy implemented by Canary Islands Tourism, where we are always exploring non-intrusive advertising methods to engage new audiences through entertainment,” stated José Juan Lorenzo, the managing director of Canary Islands Tourism.
Out of the 500,000 listeners reached, 68% tuned in via Spotify, 17% on Ivoox, and 9% on Apple Podcasts. Additionally, this thrilling series, co-produced with the acclaimed podcast label El Extraordinario, has garnered over 700 five-star ratings and received more than 250 user comments.
In the overall podcast category, ‘Simulacro’ ranked among the top listened podcasts in Spain during its initial two weeks: reaching the eighteenth spot on Spotify Spain and third on Apple Podcasts Spain, trailing only behind ‘Nadie Sabe Nada’, hosted by Andreu Buenafuente and Berto Romero, and ‘The Wild Project’. As of two months later, it still remains in the Top 30 across major platforms.
Following its release, which initially saw an average of 30,000 daily listeners, this audio production continues to be streamed between 3,000 and 6,000 times daily two months later. Turismo de Canarias anticipates a consistent increase in these numbers as it is a long-term project. The retention rate fluctuates between 80% and 90% across platforms after the first episode is heard.
The full series of ‘Simulacro’ is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iVoox, Amazon Music, Podimo, and YouTube Music. Additionally, it has its dedicated landing page: holaislascanarias.com/simulacro. In celebration of Canary Islands Day, Canarias Radio has also started airing this series on FM, with one episode per week on Fridays. Furthermore, post-summer, the podcast is set to be featured on content platforms of airlines like Iberia Express and British Airways.
‘Simulacro’ was funded with 700,000 Euros from Next Generation EU funds. The launch involved a presentation and a month-long campaign that generated over fifteen million impressions.
SCENES AND CANARY DIALECT
The narrative unfolds through various island landscapes, including Timanfaya National Park (Lanzarote); Corralejo Dunes Natural Park (Fuerteventura); Risco Caído Archaeological Site (Gran Canaria); Punta de Orchilla (El Hierro); Roque de Los Muchachos (La Palma); Teide National Park (Tenerife); and Garajonay National Park (La Gomera).
A team of sound professionals meticulously captured the audio in each Canary Island location to provide an immersive and authentic experience for the listener.
Additionally, the distinct Canarian accent plays a significant role, with a cast of over thirty voices comprising many actors and actresses of Canarian descent, including Iris Díaz, Cristóbal Pinto, Jennifer Artiles, Maykol Hernández, Naira Hernández, and Nacho Peña, among others.
