Tourism in the Canaries: a recovery but little hope of a return to normal this summer
Audio 04:23
Near Playa del Ingles, in Maspalomas.
In the Canaries, tourism is predominant: in 2018, it generated 35% of its GDP and more than 40% of jobs in the archipelago.
© RFI / Pauline Gleize
By: Pauline Gleize Follow
10 mins
The Canarian economy has suffered a huge shock with the Covid-19 pandemic: its GDP fell by 20% last year, far more than the Spanish national average.
With vaccination and the easing of health restrictions in Europe, tourism professionals hope, after a year of nightmare, to gradually regain activity.
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From our special correspondent in Gran Canaria,
Saturday afternoon rhythm, near the Playa del Inglés, and the dunes of Maspalomas, but the shopping alleys remain uncrowded in this seaside resort in the south of Gran Canaria
Robert Dujmovic takes stock of the excursions he has sold since resuming his activity.
“
When we opened on Tuesday, my boss told me: '
we work for a week, if there are customers we continue, otherwise we close'
.
And there today, he tells me that we are going to stay open and hold on,
”explains Robert.
He comes out of long months of partial unemployment, compensated up to 70% of his salary.
Despite his optimistic nature, the crisis did not spare him.
“
I lost 10 kg in a year, mainly because I was worried and uncertain.
And I see a lot of people in this case, because they don't know what the future has in store for us, because they don't eat well ...
”, he says.
► To read also: Covid-19 in Spain: tourism is awakening again
"This comforts us, because we were at the bottom of the abyss ..."
A few hundred meters away, the Cappuccino House opens onto an almost deserted street… Fernando, the manager of the café, does not complain, however, he who has held on thanks to the local and national attendance.
“
The trend is a bit on the rise.
Tour operators are starting to take over and hotels to open.
This comforts us, because we were at the bottom of the abyss and there we see that it begins to rebound.
But it saddens me to see that many colleagues had to close,
”laments Fernando.
Fernando, manager of the Cappuccino House, in Maspalomas.
© RFI / Pauline Gleize
Ghost shopping arcade
There are plenty of closed shops in an almost ghostly shopping arcade in the town of Puerto Rico… One Saturday at midday, Brahim Maanan is one of the few to have raised the curtain.
“
No one can bear the costs.
The rents are very expensive so if there is no tourism, it is closing while waiting for a return to normal.
Me, I open to try my luck, to say that I open, that's all,
”he admits.
A return to normal for the month of November?
During the pandemic, only 30% of hotels remained open.
And near the swimming pool of one of its establishments, Jose Maria Mañaricua, president of a hotel federation, does not imagine a massive return of customers before November.
“
We hope that at the beginning of July between 50 and 70% of hotels will be open, of course without knowing how many tourists there will be.
Because reservations are made at the last minute, we have last minute cancellations, and at the last minute new restrictions appear,
”says Jose Maria Mañaricua.
Then he continues: “
We cannot have a figure until we know how the UK restrictions will evolve.
The British represent 30% of tourism in the Canaries.
However, Spain is on the orange list and as long as there are these color codes, we will not have British tourists
.
"
"We hope that at the beginning of July between 50 and 70% of hotels will be open," says Jose Maria Mañaricua, president of the Federation of Hotel and Tourism Professionals.
© RFI / Pauline Gleize
"Half of our employees will remain on partial unemployment"
One thing is certain: not all employees will return to their jobs this summer.
“
About half of our employees will remain on partial unemployment, because the hotels will not be running at full capacity, they will not exceed 50% of their usual activity.
It must be taken into account that the Canaries need air links.
The companies have suffered a lot, so it will be difficult to find the number of air passengers we had
”, explains Jose Maria Mañaricua.
Should we fear the final closure of a number of hotels?
“
No
, assures Jose Maria Mañaricua,
when there is a great crisis, investment funds end up buying this kind of hotels in difficulty.
The problem is that it relocates the ownership of those assets.
"
This summer, hotels could offer around 30% off.
At this point, the goal is not to make money, but simply to stop losing it.
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