The Gran Canaria Wine Route has welcomed a group of specialist journalists from the Republic of Ireland as part of an international promotional campaign organised by Turespaña, the Spanish Tourist Office (OET) in Dublin, the Spanish Association of Wine Cities (ACEVIN), Gran Canaria Tourism and the Gran Canaria Wine Route itself.
Over the course of several days, four media professionals working for publications specialising in travel, gastronomy, wine and tourism visited various parts of the island to experience first-hand a wine tourism offering that stands out for its distinct Atlantic and volcanic character, and for its close connection with the local landscape and culture.
A journey through the essence of Gran Canaria’s wine-making tradition
The programme organised for this press trip enabled participants to gain an insight into some of the most representative wine tourism projects and venues in Gran Canaria.
The itinerary included visits to Vinófilos Triana, Albor Suites, Viñedos Bien de Altura, Arte Gaia, Cueva de la Tea, Bodegas Bentayga, Bodega San Juan, Bodegas Mondalón, Piscos y Buches, Finca Escudero, Canary Wine, El Padrino Restaurant and La Jaira de Ana, thus showcasing the diversity of experiences that make up the Gran Canaria Wine Route.
The tour was organised by Personal Tour, an organisation involved in the project and specialising in tourism services.
Landscape, heritage and wine as hallmarks of identity
As well as visiting wineries, restaurants and other wine-related venues, the journalists had the opportunity to discover some of the island’s most iconic landscapes and heritage sites.
The tour included such iconic sites as the Cruz de Tejeda, the Risco Caído Interpretation Centre and the Sacred Mountains of Gran Canaria, the village of Tejeda, La Caldera and Pico de Bandama, Las Canteras Beach, the historic centre of Vegueta and the Casa de Colón.
The route took in the municipalities of Santa Brígida, Vega de San Mateo, Tejeda, Artenara, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Agüimes, allowing visitors to discover the rich landscape and culture surrounding the island’s wine-growing industry.
An experience that is winning over the Irish market
The participating journalists spoke very highly of the experience, particularly highlighting the unique volcanic landscapes, the quality of the wines produced on the island and the friendliness of the winegrowers.
One of the most appreciated aspects was the personalised attention received at the wineries, where the winegrowers and winemakers themselves shared their knowledge and explained, first-hand, the characteristics of the wines and the region.
They also showed considerable interest in the close relationship between wine, gastronomy, the landscape and the cultural identity of Gran Canaria – elements which together form a unique offering within Spain’s wine tourism sector.
The group comprised Ed Finn, a radio journalist specialising in travel; Cathal McBride, a digital journalist focusing on wine, gastronomy and tourism; Catherine Murphy, a journalist specialising in experiences and destinations; and Rachel Hornibrook, a content creator working in the fields of gastronomy, travel and wine.
The reports, articles and other content they produce following this visit will help to raise awareness of Gran Canaria’s wine tourism offering amongst the Irish public and strengthen the island’s presence in a market considered strategic for the destination.
A unique wine tourism model in Spain
The manager of the Gran Canaria Wine Route, Álvaro González, emphasised that initiatives of this kind help to consolidate the island’s presence within the Spanish Wine Routes Product Club and to showcase to the international market the uniqueness of a wine-growing region unlike any other in Spain.
The Gran Canaria Wine Route brings its own unique character to the wider network of Spain’s wine routes, based on a combination of heroic viticulture, biodiversity, cultural heritage and wine production that is profoundly influenced by the Atlantic Ocean and the volcanic origin of its soils.
In this context, wine becomes a means of interpreting the region, understanding the island’s history and getting to know the people who keep a centuries-old agricultural tradition alive.
Wine tourism as a driver of rural development
Álvaro González also pointed out that wine tourism is an important tool for the economic and social development of rural areas in Gran Canaria.
Every visit to a winery, every wine tourism experience and every bottle sold generates economic activity, helps to sustain family-run farms and promotes the preservation of the traditional agricultural landscape.
Furthermore, this activity helps to strengthen the primary sector and to preserve the island’s cultural and landscape heritage, which is of immense value.
Ireland, a strategic market for Gran Canaria
Ireland has established itself as one of the main source markets for tourists travelling to Gran Canaria. The excellent air links between the two regions and the growing interest among Irish travellers in experiences centred on gastronomy, nature, culture and wine make wine tourism a sector with excellent prospects for growth.
Gran Canaria currently operates between 12 and 15 flights a week to Ireland, depending on the season, amounting to more than half a thousand flights a year. Dublin, Cork and Shannon are among the cities with regular connections to the island.
This connectivity helped ensure that, in 2025, more than 800,000 Irish tourists chose Gran Canaria as their holiday destination, a figure that confirms the importance of this market for the island’s tourism sector and the potential it holds for the growth of wine tourism in the coming years.
