Press Notes

• A new call for applications for incentives from the Canary Islands’ government seeks to increase the archipelago’s regular international flight connections by 240,000 seats each year
• The new routes will allow access to new home markets and a greater number of tourists who plan their holidays around their motivations and interests
• The United States, Iceland, Switzerland, Poland, Slovakia, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Austria, Holland, Ireland, Finland, Latvia, Romania and Bulgaria are among the countries that will have direct flights to the archipelago

The Canary Islands, 20 April 2017.  The Canary Islands’ Regional Ministry for Tourism, Culture and Sports, through Promotur Turismo de Canarias, has put 24 new airline routes out to public tender to increase the archipelago’s regular international connections by 240,000 new seats each year.

The call for applications, allocated a maximum of 3.7 million euros, is part of the Canary Islands’ Flight Development Fund, an instrument to improve flight connections that has been implemented by the public promotion company after approval from the European Commission. It is the first case that meets the restrictive European regulations on subsidies for starting up new routes.

The Canary Islands’ Regional Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sports, María Teresa Lorenzo, highlighted that ‘flight connections are a main priority for the Canary Islands’ government due to their contribution to the economic development of the archipelago and are key to the strategy of diversifying tourism markets.’ For this reason she stressed the importance of this new call by the Flight Development Fund ‘that has already managed to establish 18 new regular connections with the islands and will help the Canary Islands to compete with other destinations.’

Lorenzo pointed out that the Flight Development Fund, ‘as with the rest of the activities that are performed to improve flight connections, lives up to the objective of the Canary Islands’ government in diversification of markets and customers to consolidate the archipelago’s leadership in tourism.’

This improvement lies mainly with bringing the islands closer to new cities with which they do not currently have regular flight connections, as well as closer to a new segment of tourists who, compared to the traditional tourists who until only a few years ago were the archipelago’s main visitors, prefer to organise their holidays themselves to tailor them to their own motivations and interests.

Once the incentives have been awarded to the airlines, who commit to running them for at least two years, the new routes that could be started up thanks to this call for applications would connect airports in the Canary Islands to Switzerland, Poland, France, the United States, Germany, Slovakia, Italy, Portugal, Austria, Iceland, Holland, Ireland, Finland, Latvia, Romania and Bulgaria. 

The call for applications is flexible in the majority of cases and airlines can choose between only operating on a seasonal basis (just winters or summers) or continuously throughout the year. In some cases, there is also the possibility for the airline to start with one or two regular slots. Each potential route has an allocated budget and the call contains the overall maximum budget.

All of the calls for applications of the Flight Development Fund, which to date has managed to start up 18 new connections, are the result of a detailed understanding between Turismo de Canarias and the island councils, in terms of the strategic interest, feasibility and lack of previous connections on these routes. The sum of the incentive is a final nudge for international airlines, who are normally considering a high number of options that the Canary Island destinations have to compete with.

New call for applications for the incentives of the Flight Development Fund. See table below:

About the Canary Islands

The Canary Islands is the place with The best climate in the world for enjoying exceptional holidays any time of the year. Seven different and unique islands, perfect for disconnecting from your daily routine, recharging your batteries and returning home feeling physically and mentally refreshed. The beaches, volcanic landscapes, lively and hospitable lifestyle and the possibility of choosing from all sorts of outdoor activities, as well as a wide range of quality accommodation and leisure activities, mean that the majority of visitors repeat the experience more than once.

About Promotur Turismo de Canarias

Promotur Turismo de Canarias, an entity attached to the Department of Tourism, Culture and Sport of the Regional Government of the Canary Islands, oversees the promotion of the Canary Islands tourism brand. Created in 2005, the main goal of this public company is to study, promote and market the huge tourist offer the Canarian archipelago affords, in conjunction with the other institutions on the islands related to the tourist sector.

Press Contact:

brezo.rodriguez@porternovelli.es  // alberto.tapia@porternovelli.es

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