With a unique variety of landscapes andactivities, the Canary Islands became one ofthe first mass tourism destinations. Now,says the islands’ president Adán MartínMenis, it is striving to achieve sustainablegrowth and diversify its product, with manymore luxury accommodations, world-classgolf, spa and wellness facilities and apromotion of business tourism.

At the forefront of this new initiative is PilarParejo Bello, deputy adviser of the Canariangovernment’s tourism division. Though a remodeling of thearchipelago’s tourism model and services is underway, thegovernment has been careful to preserve what has beensuccessful and nurture its number one market—the British.Parejo Bello says: “Polls among British citizens show high levelsof loyalty and repeat visits, so we will remain the winterdestination of choice for British tourists in search of excellence.”

Efforts are being combined to establish one global brand forthe 7 islands. Training and service provision is being improvedand a 3-year upgrade of accommodations is underway. Thefocus is firmly on quality over quantity, Parejo Bello says, citinga halt on growth in the number of hotel beds. Visitors are drawn,she says, to the archipelago’s year-round warm climate, uniquenatural beauty, political and environmental safety, low crime and

the proximity to Europe, especially importantin winter.

Short breaks are another possible avenuefor expansion, with an ever-increasingtimetable of low-cost and other scheduledflights from the rest of Europe. “Inter-islandair and sea connections are excellent,allowing tourists to easily sample theincredibly varied landscapes and attractionsof each island,” adds Martín Menis.

Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Lanzarotecontinue to be the best-known and most popular islands.

Tenerife is the largest and boasts one of Europe’s highestpeaks, Mount Teide, and a landscape ranging from arid andvolcanic to lush and semi-tropical. Meanwhile, Gran Canaria isthe most cosmopolitan and home to the islands’largest city, LasPalmas. Lanzarote has a volcanic landscape plus beautifulbeaches and is a major focus for luxury tourism development,while neighboring Fuerteventura is uncrowded, tranquil andhome to arguably the best beaches in the Canaries.

The greenest, and many say, the most beautiful island, LaPalma, remains relatively unknown, and is entirely protectedas a United Nations World Biosphere Reserve. The two smallestislands, La Gomera, and El Hierro, are havens of tranquility. LaGomera is just over 30 minutes by ferry from Tenerife and now

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Located 1,000 miles from mainland Spain,the Canaries are actually far closer to Africathan Europe. The seven main islands offeran unrivaled vacation experience.

One of Europe’sfavorite holiday hot-spots focuses on luxury tourism

Old world Canarian charm and contemporary luxury for today’s executive

Left: Adán Martín Menis, PresidentRight: Pilar Parejo Bello, Deputy Adviser for Tourism

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boasts its own airport. Its scenery ranges from lush rainforeststo spectacular gorges. El Hierro, with only 10,000 inhabitants,is perfect for rural, “get-away-from-it-all” tourism.

One of the visionaries exemplifying the new face of Canariestourism is Dreamplace Hotels & Resorts, a Canarian, family-runbusiness with an emphasis on luxury and wellness. It is managedby Marco López Díaz. The group has grown exponentially in itsshort 5-year history, with three large 4- and 5-star hotels inTenerife, and a 5-star resort, the Gran Castillo in Lanzarote, dueto open in January 2006 in the popular Playa Blanca area.

Dreamplace has assisted the renaissance of the southerncoast of Tenerife, developing its showpiece 5-star luxury resort,the Gran Tacande, in the epicenter of the island’s upscale resortarea, the Costa Adeje.

“Our idea at the beginning was to develop what we considerto be the next revolutionary step for tourism, the world ofexperiences, sensations and emotions,” says López Díaz. “Ourmain goal is that however guests arrive, they must leave happy.It is not just a matter of good food and beaches, nor just a smileor good service. The customers are looking for the human touch,which is what we are trying to implement.

“For example, at Dreamplace, the hotel manager mingles withthe guests, which you do not see in other hotels. We aim for

much more than good service—we aim to make the customersour friends.”

Aside from offering a highly-personalized service, the GranTacande, with its 205 rooms and 45 varied suites, is locatedon the beachfront of the renowned Playa del Duque beach.Designed in the style of a typical Canarian luxury mansion house,all rooms are very spacious, with excellent fixtures and fittings.Features include massage showers and Internet access andhave spectacular views of the ocean or the verdant gardens.All the suites boast a jacuzzi.

Another feature for which the Gran Tacande is known is its2,300 m2 spa. As López Díaz says: “This is one of the mostcomplete places for wellness and beauty in the south of theTenerife, and includes Thalasso treatments.

“My other principal belief is in the potential of the businesstravel and conference market, especially since the advent ofscheduled flights from the UK, although this market is stillrelatively uncatered for in the resorts of Tenerife.

“The Gran Tacande has a 2,000m2 business center withcapacity for meetings for 400 people. In addition, we offer addedvalue for clients with special tailor-made packages for directbooking customers, with possibilities for diving or golf, andspecialized programs such as “De-stress for CEOs” and otherswho need extra relaxation.”

Dreamplace has between 70 and 85% occupancy levels, with80% of its tourists coming from the UK, Germany and Spain,although López Díaz would like to see more tourists from othernations as more scheduled flights are added and independentbookings over the Internet become more common.

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Our main goal is thathowever guests arrive,theymust leave happy.

Marco López Díaz, DG, Dreamplace Hotels and Resorts

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Hotel Gran Tacande C/ Alcalde Walter Paetzmann s/n, Costa Adeje, 38670, SpainTel: +34 922 717230, Reservations: +34 90 210 902 Fax: +34 922 717949 www.grantacande.com

Dreaming of the perfect getaway? 5 Star luxury, thermal baths, panoramic ocean views, Tenerife’s most famous

beach and tournament quality golf courses are only a phone call away.Live your dream at the Dream Grand Tacande!

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