The Caribbean vs. the Canary Islands

The Caribbean as a travel destination is beginning to be a competitive headache for Spain´s Canary Islands, warned Jesus Martinez Millan, president of the Spanish Travel Agency Corporate Front Office (CAAVE). The Caribbean is all the rage now among Spanish travelers, not only as a sun-and-sand destination, but also as a spot likened to ruins (cultural tourism) or cruises.

“Tourists are willing to shell out some more money and travel to the other side of the world,” he explained.

However, Mr. Martinez insisted the Canary model “is not over the hills yet” and the islands continue to be “a very luring, fantastic and idealized destination.”

”Tourism is now coping with huge changes, a genuine revolution with plenty of trends that go stronger with each passing day, as eleventh-hour purchases,” Mr. Martinez commented.

In this sense, the CAAVE President hopes that despite being last-minute buyers, this year´s number of outgoing Spanish tourists will ramp up a couple of percentage points –perhaps twice as many notches if things go smoothly- from 2003, a year that marked a dark period for the travel industry worldwide.