4 days ago
Holiday hotspot loved by Brits dealt huge blow as tourists 'abandon' it
Lanzarote saw a significant decrease in the number of German tourists visiting the island, with a loss of almost 30,000 visitors in a year, according to a new report
German tourist numbers have plummeted by nearly 30,000 in just one year on Lanzarote. Between January and May 2025, approximately 146,079 German holidaymakers visited Lanzarote, compared to 174,976 during the same period the previous year. Spain ranks as one of the most visited countries in the world, especially during the summer months.
According to FTN News, the most visited cities are Madrid, Barcelona and Seville, with other destinations including the Balearic Islands, the Canary Islands, Valencia and Granada. Nevertheless, the Canary Islands Statistics Institute (ISTAC), which published the data, predicted that tourist numbers would match last summer's figures despite the drop in German arrivals.
This was primarily attributed to a surge in British tourists, which rose by just under 40,000, despite widespread protests that have engulfed the archipelago, reports the Express
UK visitors to Lanzarote climbed from 691,902 to 738,387 during the five-month period year-on-year, according to Gazette Life. Interestingly, German visitors have dropped by nearly 30,000 in Lanzarote, as marked between the months of January and May 2025.
Lanzarote fared well overall, welcoming 1.4 million international tourists - an increase of 46,188 compared to the same timeframe in 2024. With the UK taking the first place, other visitors come from countries such as the Netherlands, Italy, Ireland, France, Belgium, Germany, of course, Spain.
Previously, the Canary Islands tourism industry voiced concerns regarding the German government's proposal to increase air ticket taxation.
The aviation tax hike took effect in May 2024, pushing the levy for short-distance flights from £10.82 per ticket to £13.46. Nicolás Villalobos, General Director of the Cordial Group, described it as "very bad news".
Christoph Ploss, the government's tourism policy coordinator, claimed the former administration had made holidays more costly for Germans. He told German publication Bild: "A well-deserved holiday in Majorca must not become unaffordable." Despite widespread protests, the Canary Islands have seen a surge in visitor numbers, according to data from the Canary Islands National Statistics Institute (INE).
Locals have voiced concerns about the negative effects of mass tourism, including rising living and housing costs, strained infrastructure, loss of cultural identity, and overcrowding. Euro News reports that the islands welcomed 4.36 million international tourists in the first quarter of 2025, marking a 2.1% increase compared to the same period last year.
