SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE Nov. 1 (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Tenerife Tourism delegation is heading back to the World Travel Market (WTM) in London, scheduled to take place from November 5 to 7, with the objective of enhancing its direct air connectivity with the United Kingdom and fortifying its status as a sustainable and varied destination aimed at affluent travellers who are willing to spend more on cultural experiences, gastronomy, nature activities, and lifestyle, among other offerings.
This delegation is led by the vice president and Tourism advisor, Lope Afonso, and the CEO of Tourism of Tenerife, Dimple Melwani, who, alongside technical staff from the public tourism body, will be joined by a cohort of affiliated companies, as well as representatives from the island’s tourist municipalities.
Afonso emphasises that the WTM in London presents an “opportunity” to further focus on sustainability and quality on the island.
“We are committed to establishing Tenerife within the British market, enhancing our competitiveness, promoting the profitability of our businesses, and stabilising employment on the island. Additionally, we aim to diversify the offerings until we attain quality in this market as well,” he affirms.
He also mentions that efforts will continue to deepen the diversification of the tourism product, enhancing its reputation as a benchmark for sustainable tourism, including experiences, nature, active tourism, gastronomy, and significant cultural and sporting events.
“We are dedicated to delivering higher quality for the destination, which leads to increased expenditure and greater profitability,” he adds.
Dimple Melwani, the CEO of Tourism of Tenerife, remarks that the WTM presents an opportunity to “convey” the strategy for the British market in the island’s primary source of visitors “by showcasing a distinct and sustainable tourism offering, while reaching out to new demographics of British travellers who appreciate culture, traditions, nature, and gastronomy, as well as obtaining insights into the current market situation and predictions for 2025.”
Nearly fifty airlines, agencies, and tour operators, such as Easyjet, Jet2, British Airways, Expedia, Destinia, TUI, and PGA Tours, will engage in meetings with Tenerife at the WTM, along with various media interviews, including Travel Bulletin, Travel Gossip, and TTG.
This year, the island will hold an event on November 4, just before the WTM begins, to showcase Tenerife’s attractions as a tourist destination, particularly its ‘premium’ offerings, at the iconic Banking Hall in central London.
Attended by around one hundred tour operators, travel agents, and British journalists specialised in tourism, this event will highlight the island’s wines, as well as unveil some new projects that will enhance the variety of establishments on the island, such as the Hotel Taoro in Puerto de la Cruz, which is part of the high-quality offerings the destination has been promoting for some time.
This hotel is anticipated to welcome guests in the coming months after undergoing extensive renovations.
LEADER IN THE BRITISH MARKET
The British represent the foremost market of origin for visitors spending holidays in Tenerife.
According to data from the Canary Islands Statistics Institute (Istac), analysed by the Tourism Research Department of Tenerife, the number of British nationals staying in tourist accommodations on the island (hotels and apartments) reached 1,561,349 in the first nine months of 2024, marking an increase of 8.5% compared to the same timeframe the previous year.
During this same period, arrivals from British airports reached 2,052,007, reflecting a 9.1% rise, which marked the highest figure for any destination within the archipelago, accounting for 44.1% of all arrivals in the Canary Islands during that time.
This year, 22 air connections connect the island with the United Kingdom, operated by six distinct airline groups.
