The Tenerife Tourism Corporation has joined the Association of Touring and Adventure Suppliers (Atas) to showcase the island’s adventure options to the trade.
The tourist board’s chief executive, David Pérez (pictured), said becoming an associate member of Atas will help position Tenerife as “an exciting destination for those looking for adventure and activities in the great outdoors”.
He commented: “We want to connect with specialist travel agents and tour operators that may not have Tenerife in their programmes yet or may have never thought of Tenerife in this way, to show them all the opportunities our beautiful island has to offer.
“We have always worked closely with the travel trade in the UK to promote Tenerife and attract more visitors to the island, as a key element of our tourism strategy.
“We know how much British travellers value the information and advice they get from travel agents; they trust their recommendations.
“We want to give those agents new ideas they can use to improve their sales to Tenerife and bring in new customers.”
Tenerife Tourism Corporation can provide agents with information, images, videos and resources to help sell adventure holidays in the destination, which is the biggest of the Canary Islands.
Training is available via the corporation’s representation agency in the UK, Four Communications, and the tourist board will meet agents face-to-face at the Atas conference (November 1-2).
Although Tenerife is well known for its beaches, Pérez said that almost half of the island is protected territory, with natural environments ranging from volcanic formations to ancient forests.
“It is also home to Spain’s highest peak, Mount Teide, while its surrounding waters are teeming with amazing marine life,” he said.
“The opportunities to enjoy nature and practise all kinds of adventure and outdoor sports are endless.
“A tour of the island reveals a totally different world from the busy resorts of the south, with charming villages and historic towns, deep-rooted traditions and a wonderful local gastronomy.”
The UK has traditionally been the main overseas market for Tenerife and visitor numbers are recovering after the pandemic, reaching almost 664,000 in the first six months of 2022 – about a third of total passenger arrivals to the island.
Flights are available with carriers such as Jet2, easyJet, Tui, Ryanair, Wizz Air, British Airways and Norwegian.
“Part of our strategy is to attract new audiences who would never consider Tenerife for their holidays,” added Pérez.
“This includes the upmarket visitor who is looking for sun, luxury and authentic experiences.
“The island currently has more than 30 five-star hotels and four Michelin-starred restaurants – and these figures will continue to grow.”
In April 2021, Tenerife Tourism Corporation launched its ‘Tenerife awakens emotions’ brand strategy, which aims to attract travellers who want to “experience a destination, rather than just visit it”.
It includes holidaymakers looking to adding elements of nature, lifestyle, sports and adventure to their break – and taps into trends seen in the UK with more British travellers seeking mental wellbeing, sustainability and affordability.
Claire Brighton, Atas account director, commented: “We’re delighted to welcome Tenerife to Atas – the island offers a great range of adventure and touring options for our agents to learn about and to sell.
“I look forward to hearing more about all the amazing activities and wildlife of Tenerife – and meeting the corporation’s representatives at our annual conference at the British Motor Museum, Warwick.”
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