Gran Canaria vs Tenerife: the tourism numbers
The two islands that carry Canarian tourism, side by side. Every figure below is a real ISTAC count of main tourists per island — no market-share estimates, no modelled splits.
Tenerife
Gran Canaria
Monthly arrivals, head to head
Market share
What the numbers say
Market dominance
Tenerife takes 61.3% of the two-island market, 17.59M arrivals against Gran Canaria's 11.12M across 29 months — a gap of 6,464,670 tourists.
Seasonal peaks
Both islands peak in the same month: January 2026, when Tenerife recorded 686,899 arrivals and Gran Canaria 478,000. Winter, not summer, is high season here.
Weight in the archipelago
In August 2026 the two islands together took 62.8% of all Canary Islands arrivals — Tenerife 38.9%, Gran Canaria 23.9%.
Month by month
| Month | Tenerife | Gran Canaria | Difference | Leader |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 24 | 594,315 | 363,550 | 230,765 | Tenerife |
| May 24 | 533,631 | 299,418 | 234,213 | Tenerife |
| Jun 24 | 526,294 | 297,226 | 229,068 | Tenerife |
| Jul 24 | 585,538 | 331,394 | 254,144 | Tenerife |
| Aug 24 | 608,617 | 338,980 | 269,637 | Tenerife |
| Sep 24 | 557,010 | 314,423 | 242,587 | Tenerife |
| Oct 24 | 617,714 | 410,664 | 207,050 | Tenerife |
| Nov 24 | 652,800 | 446,000 | 206,800 | Tenerife |
| Dec 24 | 679,244 | 462,000 | 217,244 | Tenerife |
| Jan 25 | 643,460 | 447,000 | 196,460 | Tenerife |
| Feb 25 | 648,255 | 449,000 | 199,255 | Tenerife |
| Mar 25 | 677,689 | 473,000 | 204,689 | Tenerife |
| Apr 25 | 604,371 | 377,000 | 227,371 | Tenerife |
| May 25 | 539,411 | 309,000 | 230,411 | Tenerife |
| Jun 25 | 542,881 | 311,000 | 231,881 | Tenerife |
| Jul 25 | 611,841 | 357,000 | 254,841 | Tenerife |
| Aug 25 | 618,578 | 359,000 | 259,578 | Tenerife |
| Sep 25 | 551,000 | 331,000 | 220,000 | Tenerife |
| Oct 25 | 631,662 | 413,000 | 218,662 | Tenerife |
| Nov 25 | 659,656 | 440,000 | 219,656 | Tenerife |
| Dec 25 | 671,202 | 463,000 | 208,202 | Tenerife |
| Jan 26 | 686,899 | 476,000 | 210,899 | Tenerife |
| Feb 26 | 657,396 | 442,000 | 215,396 | Tenerife |
| Mar 26 | 675,573 | 478,000 | 197,573 | Tenerife |
| Apr 26 | 559,459 | 369,000 | 190,459 | Tenerife |
| May 26 | 518,359 | 305,000 | 213,359 | Tenerife |
| Jun 26 | 521,265 | 306,000 | 215,265 | Tenerife |
| Jul 26 | 605,442 | 379,909 | 225,533 | Tenerife |
| Aug 26 | 608,941 | 375,269 | 233,672 | Tenerife |
| Total (29) | 17,588,503 | 11,123,833 | 6,464,670 | Tenerife |
Quick comparison
| Metric | Tenerife | Gran Canaria |
|---|---|---|
| Total arrivals (29 months) | 17.59M | 11.12M |
| Market share (two islands) | 61.3% | 38.7% |
| Peak month | Jan 26 (686,899) | Mar 26 (478,000) |
| Monthly average | 606,500 | 383,580 |
| Latest month (Aug 26) | 608,941 | 375,269 |
Frequently asked questions
Which island receives more tourists: Gran Canaria or Tenerife?
Tenerife, by a wide margin. Between April 2024 and August 2026 Tenerife received 17,588,503 tourists against Gran Canaria's 11,123,833 — 6,464,670 more, or 61.3% of the two-island market.
What is the peak tourist season for Gran Canaria and Tenerife?
Both islands peak in winter. The strongest month in the series is January 2026 for Tenerife (686,899 arrivals) and March 2026 for Gran Canaria (478,000). Demand from northern Europe concentrates between October and March.
How much larger is Tenerife's tourism market compared to Gran Canaria?
About 58% larger. Over the last 29 months Tenerife received 6,464,670 more tourists than Gran Canaria (17.59M vs 11.12M).
Which island is better for tourism: Gran Canaria or Tenerife?
The data measures volume, not quality. Tenerife draws more visitors overall and is home to Mount Teide, Spain's highest peak; Gran Canaria concentrates strong German and British demand and the Maspalomas dunes. Both sustain year-round arrivals well above a million per quarter.
What are the Gran Canaria vs Tenerife tourism trends in 2026?
In August 2026 Tenerife recorded 608,941 arrivals and Gran Canaria 375,269, which is 38.9% and 23.9% of all Canary Islands arrivals respectively. Over the last 12 months the split is 7.35M vs 4.78M.