Entries to the island’s seven CACTs (Centres of Art, Culture and Tourism) have fallen by 15.6% in the year’s far, although profits have increased.
In 2023, over three million visitors attended the most popular Centres. In the first ten months of this year, that figure has fallen by around half a million to just under 2.5 million.
The introduction of steep price rises at the start of 2023 is undoubtedly the main reason for the fall in visitor numbers. Tourism councillor Ángel Vazquez has explained that fees were raised precisely to reduce the volume of visitors, easing pressure and crowding at the CACTs, while increasing income.
The policy reflects the attitude of the Canarian Government which has stated that it would prefer to raise entry fees to publicly owned attractions rather than introduce a tourist tax, which it believes would reduce the competitiveness of the islands as a destination.
The total visitor numbers for the first ten months of 2024 are:
Fire Mountains – 705,000
Jameos del Agua – 670,300
Cueva de los Verde – 401,700
Cactus Garden – 380,100
Mirador del Rio – 328,600
Castillo de San José – 20,000
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