Jéssica De León warns of tourism with fewer nights and spending due to the war in Iran

The Minister of Tourism and Employment of the Government of the Canary Islands, Jéssica de León, has warned that the current context of war between the United States and Israel with Iran introduces a scenario of “uncertainty” that can translate into an increase in the cost of travel, a reduction in stays and a fall in tourist spending in the islands.

De León, in response to a parliamentary question, has indicated that the main anticipated impact is the increase in the price of fuels, which will directly affect the cost of tourist packages and, consequently, demand, in a context also marked by the loss of purchasing power in the source markets.

As she explained, this situation can lead to a decrease in overnight stays, a trend that has already begun to be observed in recent months.

“If before we had an average stay of 9.3 nights, now it is shortening to approximately seven days,” she indicated.

The minister added that this lower spending capacity of the middle classes in the countries of origin can also affect the average expenditure per tourist, which forces a scenario of “prudence” to be managed.

Despite this context, she highlighted that the current data for Easter Week continue to be positive, with an increase of 2.4% in international air capacity, although with a 3% drop in the national market, and a global variation of 0.9%.

Likewise, she underlined that the Canary Islands maintain favorable forecasts for the next winter season, with an increase of around 2% in scheduled air capacity.

De León has insisted that, in the face of international uncertainty, the Canary Islands and Spain tend to position themselves as “refuge destinations,” which could partially cushion the negative effects of the geopolitical context on the tourism sector.