Bookiply study reveals booking surge in Canary Islands

Canary Islands: According to a study from software provider Bookiply, demand for international travel to the Canary Islands has risen dramatically.

The rise follows both the UK and Germany lifting COVID travel warnings from the region.

Spain was initially one of the 50 countries exempted from quarantine orders by the UK before the order was reimposed in late July. Many large Spanish tourism regions, including the Canary Islands, suffered as a result.

Data for the study was collected from databases on both Bookiply’s site and its parent company Holidu. Searches for a rental for two to five people in the period from 26 December to 2 January 2021 were compiled to make the official report.

Tenerife has seen the biggest jump in bookings, with 75 per cent of available accommodation already booked for the Christmas holidays. Lanzarote and Gran Canaria have also seen a strong revival, with 36 and 46 per cent of properties currently vacant respectively.

Additional results here show a variety of different trends for this winter. These include:

• Trips tend to be longer: The booking showed that guests booked an average of 5.9 days, beyond the average of 3.5 days during the summer
• Bookings are more spontaneous: 65 per cent of travellers have booked their stays less than 30 days in advance this year
• No changes in price: Despite a tumultuous summer, prices for villas and apartments have stayed stable across various price ranges.

Gabriela Rubio, manager of Bookiply Tenerife, said: “After the German and British governments lifted the travel warnings, we immediately recorded the first bookings. It shows how much people love travelling and long for the sun and the beach.

“Especially during the Christmas holidays, the islands are a popular destination for Central and Northern Europeans. This also seems to be true for this corona winter: since last week, bookings have more than doubled.”

While the islands have reopened, protective measures are still in place. The Canary Islands government has mandated that incoming tourists come with a certificate showing that they are covid-free.