Trying to understand where Tenerife sits in the global tourism picture can be a bit misleading… because on the surface, nothing really changes.
Same flights. Same hotels. Same sun.
But every now and then, something happens behind the scenes that’s actually worth paying attention to.
This weekend was one of those.
60 travel bosses from the US and Canada… all in Tenerife
Now, that’s not a coincidence.
The Travel Leaders Network, which is one of the biggest travel agency groups in North America, chose Tenerife for their International Summit this year. They move this event around the world, so when a destination gets picked, it’s usually for a reason.
And they didn’t send junior staff either… these were owners and directors. The people who decide what gets sold and what doesn’t.
So yes, they’ll have enjoyed the sunshine… but that’s not why they came.
They were here to see if Tenerife is worth pushing
It’s one thing seeing a place online. It’s another actually being here, walking around, eating in the restaurants, seeing the towns, getting a feel for it.
That’s what this was about.
They were taken around the island properly as well…
Teide, La Laguna, Garachico, La Orotava, Santa Cruz, even out whale watching and into wineries.
Not just “sit by the pool and have a cocktail”.
If you’re going to recommend a destination to clients who are flying 8 or 9 hours… you need to know it stacks up.
The North American market is small… but it’s growing
At the moment, it’s not huge.
Around 40,000 visitors came from the US and Canada in 2025. The majority from the US, with places like New York, Miami and Boston leading the way.
Canada’s smaller, but still moving up.
These aren’t headline numbers, but that’s not really the point.
It’s the direction that matters.
And it’s been heading one way for a while now.
Why Tenerife wants more of these visitors
Not all tourists are the same.
That’s just the reality of it.
The North American traveller tends to stay longer, spend more, and look for something a bit different. They’re not usually flying all this way for a quick 4-night break.
They want experiences.
Nature, food, culture, a bit of comfort… and Tenerife ticks those boxes quite easily when it’s shown properly.
Which is exactly what they did this weekend.
What this means in the long run
Nothing dramatic happens straight away.
You’re not going to suddenly see thousands of Americans arriving next month.
But this is how things build.
Relationships get formed
Agencies start recommending the island
Demand slowly increases
Flight connections improve
And over time, the type of visitor starts to shift slightly.
I’ve seen it before with different markets… it never happens overnight, but you can usually spot the early signs.
This is one of them.
Reinvention?
Tenerife’s not trying to reinvent itself.
It’s just starting to get noticed by a slightly different crowd.
And when the people who control a large chunk of travel bookings in the US and Canada start paying attention… it’s probably worth keeping an eye on.
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