A new tourism campaign in the Canary Islands has encouraged locals to take time off within the archipelago this summer, and authorities have spent more than £400,000 to make it happen. The regional government has launched a new initiative designed to encourage interisland travel among Canary residents, hoping to boost the local economy and strengthen emotional connections with the land.
The campaign begins on Monday, June 23rd and runs until the end of July, but has a total budget of 500,000 euros (approximately £427,000) and is jointly funded by the European Regional Development Fund. “With this new initiative, we are targeting Canary citizens who travel with pride and respect for their islands and with deep emotional connections to their land,” said Jessica de Leon, Minister of Tourism and Employment for the Canary Islands.
“We are building stories that appeal to a sense of belonging and shared identity, encouraging the rediscovery of our land,” she added.
This campaign introduces new terms. Turisla is defined as “a Canary who loves the island and enjoys traveling.”
Replace the word “tourist” with the following message: “Here we have our own way of enjoying and caring about our favorite spots.
“Enjoy your island as only those who love them know how to do this summer.”
The promotion, which aims to reconnect the island's natural and cultural heritage with local people, is deployed across a wide range of platforms, including digital media, billboards, radio, television, newspapers and social media.
It also includes collaborations with influencers and local media that help spread the message.
According to the Spanish newspaper Gomera Noticias, if authorities try to revive domestic tourism, it accounts for 46% of all summer trips made by Canary residents last year.
Does that come after a recent investigation? Travelers found that tourists outperformed locals on one island by 120 to 1.
In total, locals made 825,821 trips during the summer season, of which 381,212 were on the island itself.
Those who stayed in the archipelago spent an average of 8.8 days on holidays, spending over 186 million euros.
Popular activities include beaches (71%), visits with friends and family (27%), cultural visits (23%) and hiking (22%).
