Canary Islands shock as Tenerife gets more tourists than world's 5th biggest country

The is a destination loved by Brits and UK holidaymakers across the world. Famed for its , sunny weather, and stunning landscapes, each one of the islands offers incredible experiences, making the Spanish archipelago the . Every year, tens of millions of people jet over to the Canary Islands. However, this year so far has been its best ever yet.

New figures have revealed that the Canary Islands have just had the best month and best tourist quarter in history, leaving people shocked. However, not because millions of travellers love coming to the region, but because one specific island gains more attention than one of the world's biggest countries.

Statistics reveal that Tenerife welcomes more visitors than Brazil, the world's fifth-largest country. The information becomes even more remarkable as when you compare the two locations, the land of Tenerife only covers just 0.02% of Brazil's area.

Whilst it shows how incredibly well Tenerife's tourism industry is doing and how great the island is at providing tourists with an unforgettable holiday experience, it also raises questions of the impacts of mass tourism in certain territories, reinforced by the recent .

According to the figures from the National Institute of Statistics (INE), 1,556,532 international tourists visited the archipelago in March 2025, an increase of 0.9% compared to the same month the previous year.

Additionally, the Canary Islands saw 4,361,596 visitors from across the globe, during the first quarter of the year. The figures are 2.1% more than the same period of 2024, highlighting that it remains a leading European holiday destination.

In addition to the record-breaking number of visitors, the country also reached new heights in tourism revenue, with travellers spending over £5.83 billion in the first quarter, a 5.46% increase from 2024.

The comparison with Brazil, renowned for its natural, historical, and cultural wealth, shows that there is more to what makes a great holiday destination.

Experience, infrastructure, and destination stability are also important to consider, and Tenerife offers constant spring-like weather, good air connectivity, excellent hotel infrastructure, and safety, which has worked in its favour.

The news shared by have gone viral on X as a symbol of success and challenge, highlighting that whilst high tourism numbers are something to be proud of, the island also needs to adapt to 21st-century challenges, including sustainability, coexistence, and diversification.