Canary Islands hotel stays top 5.4 million in May as foreign tourism grows

Hotel overnight stays in the Canary Islands increased by 1.86% in May compared with the same month last year, reaching 5.44 million nights, according to figures published by Spain’s National Statistics Institute (INE).

The total number of overnight stays rose from 5,344,403 in May 2025 to 5,444,114 in May 2026, representing an increase of 99,711 nights.

The growth was largely driven by international visitors. Overnight stays by foreign tourists climbed from 4,500,856 to 4,603,280, more than compensating for a slight decline among Spanish residents, whose overnight stays fell from 843,547 to 840,834.

Despite the increase in total stays, the average length of stay in Canary Islands hotels decreased. Guests spent an average of 5.85 days in hotels during May 2026, compared with 6.01 days during the same month a year earlier.

The rise in overnight stays was supported by a higher number of travellers choosing hotel accommodation. Hotels across the archipelago welcomed 929,918 guests in May, up from 889,987 in May 2025.

Hotel occupancy rates, however, recorded a modest decline. Bed occupancy fell from 66.39% to 64.98% year-on-year. The decrease coincided with an expansion in hotel capacity, with the number of operating hotels increasing from 571 to 607 over the period.

Employment in the sector also continued to grow. The number of workers employed in Canary Islands hotels rose from 58,766 in May 2025 to 61,468 in May 2026.