Investments In Tenerife Tourism Increase Sales

Factually the Canary Islands are among the top vacation spots in the world comes as no surprise. Tenerife alone sees more than 5 million visitors per year. The other islands are nearly as busy, but due to size, don't see the same volume.

Tourism revenue comprises a staggering 75 percent of the GDP of the Canaries. Such a high reliance on one specific industry is unheard of in many areas of the world. The location and popularity of the Canary Islands as a holiday destination makes it feasible to rely so heavily on tourism.

Nearly 10 million holidayers visit the Canary Islands each year. Islands that comprise the Canaries include Tenerife, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, La Palma, La Gomera, El Hierro, La Graciosa, Alegranza and Montana Clara. Each island is unique and offers something for nearly everyone.

The lesser-visited islands provide more privacy and a quieter atmosphere than their larger counterparts. Montana Clara, for example, is the smallest islet and remains uninhabited by man. This 300-year dormant volcano islet is home to the protected white-faced storm-petrels.

The second-smallest islet is Alegranza, which is also uninhabited. It is home to a variety of flora and fauna. Like Montana Clara, it features a quite large crater from a dormant volcano and a beach. Alegranza is part of the municipality of Teguise on the larger island of Lanzarote.

Many species of lizard, including the Canary Gecko which is found nowhere else on earth, thrive on the smaller islets. Endangered birds including the petrel, shearwater, Egyptian vulture and the peregrine falcon make their homes on the cliffs surrounding the smaller islets.

La Graciosa is the third-smallest island, also linked to the municipality of Teguise. This islet is very lightly populated with a small village on the southeastern part. Two piers and a yacht dock area are featured in the bay.

The smaller, uninhabited islets are protected wildlife reserves and building is not permitted. The inability to expand onto the islets doesn't halt the construction of new buildings and growth on the larger islands.

No Growth Equals Business Death?

The business world has a saying, "If your business isn't growing, it's dying." The saying bodes true for any size or type of business; even tourism. Investing in tourism may mean building new buildings or simply renovating existing structures such as in the Canaries at the airport where the Tenerife flights bring in the tourists.

Tourism tends to take a toll on hotels and facilities. Repeated use causes great wear and tear on necessities in hotel rooms and other areas. Renovations are a necessary part of growth. Officials on Tenerife have used the 2010 slump in tourism to improve the quality of accommodations and invest in the future of travel on the island.

Winter 2010 marks the grand opening of a new addition to Coral Beach in Playa de las Americas. The new pool, fitness center and guest amenities are projected to boast a four-star rating from the start.

Quality Over Quantity

The tourism industry has often given the impression that more is better. More travelers equal more money is the business model used until recent years. Four-star and five-star destinations have recently discovered that people pay more for quality.

The most recent improvements to the tourism industry in Tenerife is said to take quality into consideration more than quantity. The idea of hosting fewer visitors who spend more money per visit isn't a new one; it has been proven true time and time again. Many people admit to paying more for quality accommodations and amenities while on vacation.