Spirit of optimism prevails on Gran Canaria

All good things come in threes – for the third fvw|TravelTalk Workshop Gran Canaria after 2009 and 2014 this definitely applies. This trip, attended by 30 travel agency professionals as well as the Canary Islands experts from all the major tour operators, was more important than ever for the island. The important winter season is coming up, and the past few years have also been tough for hoteliers, restaurants, incoming agencies and everyone who makes a living from tourism there, especially since last winter was largely a washout. For travel agencies and tour operators, the Canaries are elementary. At TUI, for example, every second guest travels to the archipelago in the Atlantic in winter. The situation is not much different for the other tour operators, and there are still many question marks behind some other major winter destinations, especially in South-East Asia.

The good news is that things are looking up on the Canary Islands and the outlook for the winter is positive. The infection figures are falling, the vaccination rate of 80 percent is higher than in Germany.

So there were also many holidaymakers at the Hotel Cordial Mogán Playa, where the group stayed, or at the Lopesan Villa del Conde Resort, where the congress day with the German tour operators and 50 hoteliers and service providers took place. Because events in the Canary Islands are limited to 50 participants in closed rooms, the congress was moved outside – a premiere that worked well. Life is returning, and this is not only true for the Canary Islands, the most popular island among German holidaymakers. The mood has also turned in sales. Almost all travel agency participants reported that they have stopped short-time work and have plenty to do. Although almost only bookings for the next few weeks are still coming in, there is no doubt that customers want to travel and treat themselves to something after the privations of the lockdown, according to the unanimous tenor in the side conversations.

These talks often took place in the fresh air, too, because the excursions took them to the mountains, the capital Las Palmas and the small town of Galdar, where the Way of St. James – Gran Canaria also has a route across the island – begins.