Italian tourism to the Canary Islands continues to grow in 2025, with Tenerife as a favorite destination, confirming the positive trend that began in 2024. But behind the record numbers lie some structural challenges that deserve attention. In this article, we analyze the latest data, the profile of the Italian traveler, the outlook for the winter, and the development opportunities for the market. Our focus? Italian travellers in the Canary Islands, between conscious choices, new routes and ever-higher expectations.
Growing flows: Italy leads the way in the Canary Islands
In the two-year period 2024-2025, the Italian market has consolidated itself as one of the most dynamic within the Canary Islands archipelago. Tenerife, in particular, welcomed over 50% of Italian air traffic heading to the islands, placing Italy in sixth place among tourist markets for the island.
2024 was a record year: 419,496 Italian tourists visited Tenerife, with an increase of +33.4% compared to 2023. In the first seven months of 2025, the trend remains positive: 233,543 Italian arrivals, equal to an increase of +3.4% on the same period of the previous year.
Italy also stands out for its air route network increasingly complex: with over 512,000 positions available in 2025, our country is now the market with the highest air capacity ever recorded for this destination. New routes are also being added from less central airports such as Ancona, Pescara, Catania, Bari, Cagliari and Milan Linate, testifying to a growing interest also in the central-southern regions.
The profile of the Italian tourist: young, curious and active
One of the most interesting aspects of the Italian market in Tenerife is the traveler profile, in clear contrast to other European countries. With an average age of 39.2 years old, Italians are among the youngest tourists on the island, second only to the Spanish. This figure is even more marked in summer, with peaks dropping to 33 years old on average.
The 25% of Italian travellers to the Canary Islands fall into the 16 to 25 age group, double the general average (13%). This is a dynamic audience, favoring active experiences such as trekking on Teide, cultural visits to La Laguna, or excursions to Los Gigantes, Masca, and Garachico.
Despite this, a noteworthy low destination loyalty: in 2024 only 42.71 TP3T of Italians returned to the island, a percentage that will slightly increase in 2025 (46.11 TP3T), but still lower than the European average. Even the average income of Italian tourists is relatively low (€43,497), 25% lower than the average number of visitors, a figure that directly affects the average expenditure per trip, one of the lowest ever.
Canary Islands: New challenges and opportunities for the Italian market
The strong expansion of the Italian market to Canary Islands opens up promising scenarios, but not without critical issues. The forecasts for winter 2025/2026 show signs of a slowdown: an estimated contraction in demand for -4%, partly due to a reduction in flights (-7.21T3T) caused by operational cuts by Wizz Air (-351T3T) and Easyjet (-2.11T3T). However, new connections and increases by Ryanair (+2.31T3T) and Neos (+271T3T) could partially offset this decline.
From an economic point of view, average spending per trip is decreasing: in the first half of 2025, the Italian tourist spent on average 1,126 euros, 3.4% less than in 2024, and a full 18% less than the general tourism average. This trend is also influenced by the increase in accommodations in friends' homes or private properties, which reduce the cost of accommodation but also the profitability of the area.
On the other hand, spending on flights, non-food purchases and car rental, a sign that Italians are increasingly interested in move independently and discover the island, rather than limiting yourself to a beach holiday or an all-inclusive hotel.
A tourism to be cultivated with authentic experiences
Italian tourists to the Canary Islands aren't just looking for the sun. The main reasons for their trip are: the desire to explore the island and live authentic experiences. Outdoor activities, contact with nature, local cuisine, and cultural itineraries are the factors that most influence travel satisfaction.
However, the approval rating is slightly decreasing: in the first half of 2025, the satisfaction index dropped to 8,42/10, while the destination recommendation recorded 8,79/10. Still positive values, but which indicate the need for a more targeted, engaging and qualitative offering, especially for a young and demanding audience.
Opportunities are not lacking: the strong presence of under 30s and travellers as couples or with friends suggests communication strategies focused on emotional experiences, active tourism and digital channels (social, blogs, forums, storytelling).
Le The Canary Islands can become a true "natural gym"“ for conscious and sustainable tourism, capable of engaging Italian travelers with authentic content, far removed from clichés and geared toward discovering the local area.
