How far did German visitor numbers fall in July 2026?

By 9,692 travellers, or 5.3 percent, compared with July 2025, according to the Observatorio Turístico de Canarias as reported by Canarias7.

What does the full-year picture look like?

From January to July 2026 the islands received 101,272 fewer German guests than in the same period the year before.

Which island is worst affected?

Tenerife, with 53,585 fewer German arrivals (−10.2%); Gran Canaria remains the favourite despite its own decline.

What is behind the drop?

The observatory cites recession, high energy costs and pressure on German industry, including Chinese competition in the car sector.

Are other markets making up the loss?

France in particular is growing strongly (+10.5%), with smaller gains from Austria, Norway, Switzerland and Belgium.

CANARY ISLANDS · TOURISM

German visitor numbers to the Canary Islands keep falling

The German market remains a worry for the Canary Islands. In July 2026 the islands welcomed 9,692 fewer German holidaymakers than a year earlier, a drop of 5.3 percent. The figures come from the Observatorio Turístico de Canarias and were reported by the newspaper Canarias7 on 18 August.

19 August 2026 · By Martin Kosinski · 5 min

Photo: Tuxyso, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Symbolbild).

The decline is part of a longer trend. Between January and July, the islands counted 101,272 fewer German guests than in the same period of 2025. Germany is still the archipelago's second most important source market, which makes the shortfall all the more significant.

The headline figures

According to the Observatorio Turístico de Canarias, the German market lost 9,692 travellers in July, down 5.3 percent on the same month last year. Across the year so far, from January to July, the deficit adds up to 101,272 German visitors.

Despite the fall, Germany remains the islands' second-largest source market, behind the dominant British public, as reported by Canarias7. The loss therefore hits the Canary Islands at a sensitive point.

How the loss breaks down by island

Tenerife is hit hardest: from January to July it received 53,585 fewer German guests than a year earlier, a fall of 10.2 percent, according to the tourism observatory. Fuerteventura was short of 27,299 Germans, down 6.1 percent.

Gran Canaria lost around 22,000 German travellers, yet with 545,352 arrivals it remains the Germans' favourite island. La Palma is, according to the data, the only island where the German market is recovering.

Why the German market is weakening

The Observatorio Turístico de Canarias points above all to Germany's economic situation: a recession, high energy costs and pressure on German industry. When purchasing power falls, many households cut back first on long-haul trips and second holidays.

The source also explicitly cites Chinese competition in the car industry, which adds to the strain on a sector central to the German economy. Travel decisions are closely tied to income and confidence, and both are currently under pressure.

France is booming while other markets cushion the fall

As Germany slips, France is surging: up 10.5 percent so far this year and as much as 24.2 percent in July alone, according to the tourism observatory. Around 40,000 additional French visitors by the end of July make France the islands' fifth most important market.

Canarias7 also reports smaller gains from Austria, Norway, Switzerland and Belgium. Together these markets offset part of the German shortfall, but on the figures available they do not replace it in full.

What it means for the Canary Islands

A clear decline in the second most important source market is a warning sign, but not a collapse of tourism as a whole. Germany remains a pillar of the sector, and the loss is partly absorbed by other nationalities.

For the islands, the trend underlines how closely their economy tracks the health of individual countries. Whether the German market steadies is something only the figures for the coming months will show.

How to read the numbers: they describe the number of German travellers, not spending or overnight stays. The data come from the Observatorio Turístico de Canarias, compiled by Canarias7 (18 August 2026).
Despite the drop, Germany is still the islands' second most important source market.

Read with care: a 5.3 percent fall in July is a marked decline in a key market, but not a collapse of tourism overall.
Gains from France and smaller markets soften the drop, yet on the available data they do not fully replace the German market.

Key facts and figures

July 2026: 9,692 fewer German visitors, down 5.3 percent (Observatorio Turístico de Canarias, via Canarias7)
January–July 2026: 101,272 fewer German guests than a year earlier
Germany is the Canary Islands' second most important source market
Tenerife −53,585 (−10.2%), Fuerteventura −27,299 (−6.1%), Gran Canaria around −22,000
Gran Canaria stays the favourite with 545,352 German arrivals; La Palma is the only island recovering
France: +10.5% year to date, +24.2% in July, around 40,000 more visitors – now the fifth market

FAQ

How far did German visitor numbers fall in July 2026?: By 9,692 travellers, or 5.3 percent, compared with July 2025, according to the Observatorio Turístico de Canarias as reported by Canarias7.
What does the full-year picture look like?: From January to July 2026 the islands received 101,272 fewer German guests than in the same period the year before.
Which island is worst affected?: Tenerife, with 53,585 fewer German arrivals (−10.2%); Gran Canaria remains the favourite despite its own decline.
What is behind the drop?: The observatory cites recession, high energy costs and pressure on German industry, including Chinese competition in the car sector.
Are other markets making up the loss?: France in particular is growing strongly (+10.5%), with smaller gains from Austria, Norway, Switzerland and Belgium.