Santa Cruz de Tenerife 22 Feb. (Europa Press) –
Canary Islands Tourism takes part in the tenth edition of Navartur, the International Tourism Fair of Reyno de Navarra, aimed at engaging with visitors who appreciate the islands’ nature, culture, and culinary delights, focusing on rural, active, and sustainable tourism.
This annual event is crucial for connecting with key consumers in the national tourism sector, attracting numerous students from northern Spain. Each year, visitors come not only from Navarra but also from the surrounding provinces of Álava, Guipúzcoa, and La Rioja, as highlighted by the Ministry of Tourism of the Regional Government in a statement.
Canary Islands Tourism has its own stand featuring Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, La Palma, and El Hierro. This presence is co-financed by 85% by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
The counters on the islands have again incorporated touch screens, enabling visitors to access an interactive application offering information in digital format about the various tourist attractions of the archipelago.
The profile of the prospective tourists attending the fair is quite diverse; however, a significant number of retirees keen to enjoy nature, culture, and gastronomy predominate, along with young couples seeking to mix sun and beach with active tourism, and families with children looking for beaches, entertainment centres, visits to historical sites, and short hiking trails.
Last year saw nearly 50,000 attendees at Navartur, reflecting a 23% increase from the prior year.
Peninsular Tourist Profile and Connectivity
The Ministry emphasises that peninsular tourists are particularly valuable for their deeper emotional connection and enhanced awareness of the archipelago, along with their eagerness to continue discovering it during their visit.
This type of visitor is notably more inquisitive when exploring the islands and shows heightened interest in understanding the traditions, gastronomy, and landscapes.
They tend to be younger travellers on average, with an average age of 40 compared to 46. Additionally, they place less importance on climate as a decisive factor (63% vs. 75%) and exhibit a lower desire to relax (27% vs. 51%), preferring to explore the islands instead (37% vs. 21%).
Landscapes are a more significant consideration for peninsular tourists (54%) than for tourists overall (35%). Moreover, 11% visit more than one island during their trip, as opposed to 8% of the total visitors, with 35% opting for only accommodation (compared to 29%) and 20% choosing all-inclusive options (33% of the entire group).
Furthermore, they spend more hours a day away from their lodgings (10 hours vs. 7) and tend to be more self-sufficient tourists.
A substantial 65% explore the island independently (compared to 48%), and they are more inclined to experience Canarian gastronomy (44% compared to 26%). They also visit leisure parks (16% vs. 14%) and are more likely to go to wineries and markets (18% vs. 11%) and museums and exhibitions (18% vs. 10%).
Regarding connectivity with this demographic, a growth of 6.1% is anticipated for the summer period. Additionally, according to Tourism of the Canary Islands, Navartur visitors are often willing to travel not just from Pamplona but also from other nearby airports like Bilbao or Zaragoza.
This summer, Pamplona’s air capacity will rise by 69%, featuring five weekly flights—three to Gran Canaria and two to Tenerife North, operated by Binter.
Similarly, Zaragoza expects a 36% increase in capacity with six weekly flights, including four to Gran Canaria and two to Tenerife North, also operated by the Canarian airline.
Lastly, from Bilbao, capacity will increase by 15%, with routes served by various airlines: Vueling (36 weekly flights), Air Europa (six weekly flights), Volotea (two weekly flights), and Iberia (one weekly flight).
