Alicante vs Las Palmas de Gran Canaria

Las Palmas de Gran Canaria leads Alicante by 1 points on the CIRA Index, 58 to 57. Alicante grades better on 5 measures, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria on 6; the same 35 measures from public sources for both.

Scores by each organisation's criteria

• CIRA Index: Alicante 57, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria 58
• OECD: Alicante 59, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria 58
• UN Tourism: Alicante 57, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria 52
• UNDRR: Alicante 60, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria 52

Theme by theme

• Demand and seasonality: Alicante 70, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria 80
• Economy and jobs: Alicante 75, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria 31
• Climate and hazards: Alicante 45, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria 60
• Water and environment: Alicante 42, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria 42
• Community and housing: Alicante 50, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria 55
• Access and continuity: Alicante 66, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria 67

Where Alicante is stronger

• Jobs in tourism industries: 7.1 % of employment in accommodation and food services (country figure) (World Economic Forum, TTDI 2026 (data: Travel & Tourism Economic Impact Research by World Travel & Tourism Council; Travel & Tourism by World Travel & Tourism Council), 2026). At or below 8: grade 4/4.
• Unemployment rate: 11.4 % of the labour force (region figure) (Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE), Encuesta de Población Activa (EPA), Q2 2026). Between 8 and 12: grade 2/4.
• Cruise pressure: 0.1 cruise passengers in the busiest month per resident (Puertos del Estado, monthly port traffic summaries ("Cuadros resumen", cruise passengers incl. home port and transit), 2025-08). Between 0.1 and 0.3: grade 2/4.
• Access redundancy: 4 independent ways in: international airport, intercity rail, port, motorway (Alicante Turismo - ALICANTE City & Beach, 'How to Get to Alicante', 2026). At or above 4: grade 4/4.
• Tourism crisis and recovery plan: A written destination crisis plan (Patronato de Turismo Alicante City&Beach, 'Plan Estratégico Alicante como Destino Turístico Sostenible 2023-2027', 2023–2027). Grade 2/4.

Where Las Palmas de Gran Canaria is stronger

• Domestic share of nights: 56.3 % of nights by residents of the same country (Ayuntamiento de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria / ISTAC (Sistema de Inteligencia del Turismo Sostenible), 2022). At or above 45: grade 4/4.
• Average length of stay: 3.6 nights per visitor (Ayuntamiento de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria / Turismo LPA (ISTAC), 2024). At or above 3.5: grade 4/4.
• Wildfire and storm hazard: very low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 4/4.
• Tourism intensity: 3.7 visitor nights per resident per year (Ayuntamiento de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria / ISTAC & Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE), 2022). At or below 5: grade 4/4.
• Short-let density: 1.1 short-term rental listings per 100 dwellings (INE / ASCAV via Atlántico Hoy, May 2026). Between 1 and 2: grade 2/4.
• Largest airline group share: 19 % of airport passengers carried by the largest airline group (Aena, detailed traffic statistics (passengers by airline, route and country), Sep 2025 – Aug 2026). At or below 20: grade 4/4.

Country context (World Economic Forum)

• Spain: #3 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026
• Spain: #3 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026

Alicante in full · Las Palmas de Gran Canaria in full

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