The Canary Islands launches a 'slow travel' campaign

Canary Islands Tourism has launched a new campaign in which it proposes that nature tourists enjoy the complete experience offered by the islands at their own pace. This action focuses on the concept of 'slow travel', i.e. travelling slowly in order to appreciate the places you visit and to be fully aware of the archipelago’s landscape and cultural environment.

"Connecting with this visitor is strategic for our destination because it reduces the concentration of risk in segments linked exclusively to the sun and beach category; improves the impact of tourism activity in the global value chain of the Canary Islands economy; renews the image of the islands as a consolidated destination and strengthens our identity as a tool for differentiation, " explains Jéssica de León, Minister of Tourism of the Government of the Canary Islands.

Nature tourism

In 2024, nature tourists accounted for 21% of total arrivals in the Canary Islands and were characterised by being more independent, with only 35% booking a package compared to 50% of the total. Of these visitors, 20% came from Germany, followed by mainland Spain (14.3%), the UK (13%) and France (9.4%). In addition, this traveller stood out for enjoying a longer average stay (10.1 days compared to 9.4 days of the total) and for spending more evenly throughout the territory.

"These tourists have a special interest in discovery and a high sensitivity towards environmental values, which is why the interior of our islands with their landscapes and traditions arouse their curiosity," says De León. The councillor also emphasises that these visitors seek the most authentic aspects of the places they visit - those that show the differential and specific features of the chosen destination - in addition to the fact that "they are respectful of the natural environment and are also motivated to learn about the heritage and culture, which boosts the economy of these areas, thus benefiting their communities".

Full experiences

This tourist profile requires specific messages that are aligned with their interests in order to make the destination's offer really appealing to them. This is why Canary Islands Tourism has used in this campaign, financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), a message that follows a current trend that has been emerging lately: the 'slow' phenomenon. The creative line is based on offering a more conscious way of travelling, which allows you to experience fuller experiences, moving away from the obsession of not missing anything. From this approach comes the campaign slogan 'Go with the slow', a play on words with 'Go with the flow'.

This action focuses on the nationalities that have shown the greatest interest in the destination, according to the data obtained from the 2024 nature segment campaign. The campaign will be visible in the UK, Germany, Sweden, Norway, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Spain, through advertisements on Meta, TikTok and Social Extensions platforms, from where users are redirected to www.holaislascanarias.com, where they find relevant information about the nature of the islands, adapted to their language according to their country of origin.

The creative pieces of this action consist of eighteen reels in ten languages (Spanish, Danish, German, Finnish, Dutch, English, French, Italian, Norwegian and Swedish) and two videos for TikTok in Spanish and English. All these pieces feature different aspects of the destination's nature and identity, such as gastronomy, hiking, rural accommodation, crafts, identity and heritage, and the natural landscapes of the interior.