Attractions Tenerife

Visitors to the Spanish island of Tenerife will tell you some of the many reasons which made this tropical paradise the number one destination for Canary Island visitors for many years, before tourism numbers dropped for the first time in a long while last year.

Of the seven islands that make up the Canaries, Tenerife attracts almost half of the British visitors – Tenerife’s most important market – who holiday on the Canaries in a typical year.

Of those tourists, a third will return to Tenerife again. Despite the drop in visitor numbers last year Tenerife attracted nearly one and a half million tourists for 2007, and tourism made up sixty per cent of the island’s GDP – showing just how important the holiday market is to the island.

Business owners have answered the call to increase the number of visitors for this year by catering to the modern demands of today’s tourists – the island is rife with five star hotels and resorts that offers luxury accommodation, sightseeing packages, all-inclusive holidays as well as access to colourful markets, beaches, restaurants and clubs.

Tenerife is also home to many smaller economy hotels and guest houses, along with self catering villas.

One of Tenerife’s biggest draws for tourists is her great beaches. A real mix of both man made and naturally formed beaches, the island has a location for all your fun-in-the-sun activities; from snorkeling, to scuba diving to windsurfing or just for soaking up some sun.

Whether you prefer a secluded cove or a wide open stretch of sand, tourists will appreciate the efforts made by local government, as well as private business owners, to provide visitors with high standards of cleanliness and access to facilities such as restrooms and showers.

If exploration is more your cup of tea, Tenerife is abundant with breathtaking natural beauty and opportunities for hiking and sightseeing. Tenerife has the highest mountain in Spain, Mt. Teide, which is home to an extraordinary 48 km. crater left behind by an inactive volcano. Tourists who want to make a day of it can hike to the crater – those with less time or desire to hike can catch a cable car to the summit where a magnificent view of this sublime paradise awaits.

Another of Tenerife’s natural tourist attractions are the Cliffs of the Giants. These astounding rock walls drop from heights of 500-800 feet almost straight down into the sea. Tourists can soak in the sights from one of the restaurants and other viewpoints located across the small bay in the resort town of Los Gigantes. They may opt for an up close and personal look at the massive rock faces by taking a tour boat across the bay.

History and archeology buffs will appreciate the Pyramids at Gadimar. Archaeologists first dismissed their discovery as mere stone terraces similar to others across the Canary Islands. It has since been proved that the pyramids were authentic ancient structures akin in design and craftsmanship to those in places like Peru and ancient Mesopotamia. The pyramids now attract hundreds of thousands of visitors each year to marvel at their expert construction.

In addition to Tenerife’s natural attractions, there are hundreds of man made ones too. When it’s time to dine, dance and party, Tenerife has a variety of first class restaurants and night clubs. It also offers small, eclectic and even quirky places that provide an even truer picture of the culture and history of this island and its inhabitants.

If a sunshine holiday is in your plans for 2008, consider putting Tenerife on your travel agenda. The local tourism board expects that travel numbers will rise this year.

Once you’ve visited Tenerife, you may even count yourself in that one third who finds Tenerife too magnetic and irresistible not to visit again.

Conduct a simple online search for the keyword Tenerife property and there will be pages full of information about the various properties for sale in Tenerife. Seemingly there are thousands of sellers or estate agents all desperate to attract buyers and thus sell one of their properties in Tenerife. But while there are these many options available and if you’re contemplating an overseas property purchase, is it not important to be clear on the expectations on what a prospective location can offer? The below mentioned details present information about Tenerife, from the property buying prospective, and can thereby help you with the Tenerife property purchase decision.

Tenerife, also referred to as the island of eternal spring, is the largest of the Canary Islands. A four hour flight is all it takes from the UK to reach Tenerife. The region, among various other pleasing facets, offers excellent climatic conditions. With Tenerife weather, there are negligible uncertainties or extremities. Average range is 73OF – 82OF. Summers are not very hot and winters are not very cold. While this fact tempts many overseas investors, Britons are categorically attracted; thanks to the harsh winters and wet summers of UK. Perhaps this is the central explanation for trends which indicate that a considerable proportion of the tourist inflow to Tenerife is from the UK and likewise a reasonable chunk of overseas homeowners of Tenerife property are of British origin. Among the stated, retired citizens are particularly interested in Tenerife property. Call it accessibility, or ease of living, or insignificant language barriers, Tenerife easily pulls attention. But this does not imply that it is just British buyers; with more direct flights operational, Tenerife is gaining attention from buyers and tourists from Ireland, Scandinavia, Germany, Holland and Belgium.    

From the charming weather, let’s now shift focus to more materialistic aspects i.e. the business possibilities. Buying Tenerife property implies investing in one of the safest options. Tenerife attracts more than five million tourists every year, which leaves little concern on the possibilities of earning rental income from Tenerife property. The island is well developed and offers many recreational options for visitors including golf, water activities, beach related pursuits and thus for years to come, this aspect is taken care of. Short term or long term letting is also not an issue with the matured Tenerife rental market.

Additionally, Tenerife is presenting a strong case for the property buyers, with infrastructural developments taking place across the island, especially covering the left out regions and areas around golf courses. The government is now interested in presenting Tenerife as the preferred holiday destination. Shopping complexes, hotels, eateries, retails shops, are all are being focused. And thus, the number of tourists to this beautiful island is expected to further increase. No wonder the island secured top slot in the property searches domain on Google.  

Another reason to consider a Tenerife property is provided by the falling prices, especially towards the South. Spanish property market has busted and though there are not as significant repercussions of the same on the Tenerife property market, due to oversupply and currency woes, Tenerife property is now available at a cheaper tag. Various independent surveys and group studies have released statistical reports which confirm that the property prices in Tenerife have fallen. The percentage varies with areas, but the range is typically 3% – 6%, and the South has suffered the maximum fall. Therefore a suitable Tenerife property, especially outside the more popular tourist regions, would now ensure a profitable bargain. However, if the idea is to make the most of rental opportunities from Tenerife property, sticking closer to the popular choices would eventually make sense.

[Update: Of course, I'm talking about non-whale-watching attracions. If  you haven't done a boat trip to see whales and dolphins, check out our tours]

You know why you book a package holiday to Tenerife: the sun! The sea! The sand! The clubs! But between the nights on the dancefloor and the days on the sand, there’s plenty of room for checking out some of Tenerife’s attractions, as long as you know where to look. Fortunately I’ve made it easier for you by listing my 5 favourite things to do in Tenerife:

Park Las Aquilas Jungle Park

The Jungle Park really is a must for any package holiday in Tenerife. Set high in the hills within 75,000 square metres of tropical gardens, this is a wildlife park that will intrigue and entertain people of all ages. There is a good selection of animals as you’d expect in any zoo, but the park is especially recommended for fans of big cats, penguins and exotic birds of prey (the flying eagle demonstration is a must-see, but they mean it when they say you shouldn’t bring food in!) There are plenty of activities for kids (and big kids) and with a wide selection of lions, leopards, tigers and jaguars, big cat lovers will be in heaven!

Parque Nacional Las Canadas del Teide

Perhaps the most famous attraction in Tenerife is the Volcanic Mount Teide. Not one if you’re nursing a hangover, but for everyone else this is an absolute must-see. The views from the mountain are simply breathtaking, and you get a fantastic look at the island which you will never forget. It’s wise to get there early as this is one of the big attractions of Tenerife – if you want to head all the way to the top you’ll need to wrap up warmly – and be sure to bring your camera!

Golf del Sur

If you’re a fan of golf, then a stay at the Golf del Sur resort should be a definite on your Tenerife package holiday itinerary. The resort offers very little to do other than play golf – but if you love the game this won’t be a problem. Of the courses available, my pick is Playa Del Americas, with Golf del Sur getting a special mention for its tranquil feel. Within easy reach you’ll also find Amirilla and Adeje – both of which offer an entertaining round of golf. If the sport’s your thing, feel free to ignore the other things to do in Tenerife and make this your sole focus!

Scuba Diving and Snorkelling

It would be a shame to be so close to the country’s warm, clear blue oceans and not see the life teeming just underneath the surface – fortunately, there are plenty of places available to make this dream a reality, and it’s well worth taking advantage of the nearby coral reefs that make for an unforgettable diving experience. Once you’ve undertaken some training and gotten kitted out, you will be able to see all kinds of sea life from starfish and crabs to rays and other tropical fish enjoying their natural habitat. This is one of the best things to do in Tenerife and should not be missed!

Loro Parque

Yep, another wildlife park – Tenerife has many of these and putting only 2 in the top 5 was quite a struggle! Loro Parque is the pick though purely for its size, scale, variety and the sense that it’s worth visiting the country for! The park seems to put animal welfare as its number one priority, and the animals are simultaneously happy and entertaining as a result. There are a number of fantastic shows (the whales in particular are an absolute must-see) and you can expect to see turtles, sharks, flamingos, penguins, tigers – everything you could want. The park is home to the biggest parrot collection in the world (and the original purpose of the attraction!), so be sure to get plenty of photos of these amazing colourful birds.

There’s so many attractions in Tenerife that it’d be a shame to just stick to the beach and the clubs – although I wouldn’t blame you if you did, superb as they are. Just consider they above options when you touch down for your package holiday in Tenerife!

Why buy property in Tenerife?

About Tenerife

Tenerife, the largest of the Canary Islands evolved several million years ago as a volcanic land mass not far from the African Coast. It is the third largest volcanic land on the planet and it boasts the highest mountain in the Spanish domain.

The island, often referred to as the island of eternal spring is a tropical paradise with one of the best temperate climates in the world. It was actually NASA that confirmed this using space observation technique. Temperatures in the low twenties are the norm at that time and even during the summer months the temperatures rarely exceed the high twenties.

The island has beautiful forests packed with exotic wildlife and unique plant life and the scenery is stunning. There are giant cliffs, rugged gorges, and huge mountains including Mount Teide, (3718 metres) which towers high above the most amazing volcanic landscape. Mount Teide was justifiably declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO during 2007. Sadly many tourists miss out on seeing the most breathtaking scenery because they do not venture far from the coastal resorts.

Tenerife welcomes over five million tourists every year from all over the world, about a third of which come from the UK, the remainder mostly from other parts of northern Europe and Scandinavia. Not surprisingly it is also a very popular tourist destination for the Spanish. The most popular months for visitors are January to March when the weather on the Island is probably the best in the world.

For the many tourists the range of activities is extremely diverse and caters for all ages. There are a number of theme parks and no shortage of things to do, for example, golf, diving, fishing, sailing, submarine safaris, swimming or simply lazing on the wonderful beaches. The new exotic Siam Park will be opening shortly where visitors will be able to undertake a thrilling range of water based activities in an oriental setting.

Despite being around for millions of years Tenerife has only evolved as a tourist destination during the past 40 years. The older ones among you may remember when along with the Spanish Costas it was a major jet set destination. In those days the focus was on budget holidays, mass tourism and like many other holiday places, the image of Tenerife inevitably suffered from the consequences of rapid tourist growth.

Much has been written about Tenerife in the past and there is a wealth of content, although some of it may be a little dated.

Tenerife is changing

In recent years, the Canary Islands Government have concentrated on elevating the image of Tenerife as a tourist destination. Tourist building development has been restricted to new 5* hotels since 2001 and rural tourism has also been encouraged in recent years.

Apart from major infrastructure improvements, the island has been made over with luscious tropical planting in the main resorts, and many new 5 star resort hotels have sprung up focussing on attracting tourism from the higher spending sectors.

Las Americas is not all what it used to be, the plan to attract affluent tourists appears to have be successful with an upsurge of classy shopping complexes with a plethora of designer retail outlets and upmarket restaurants flourishing everywhere. The emphasis seems to have been on excluding the traditional cheap bars and restaurants, the new breed of tourists are after all more discerning.

The new exclusive 5* Gran Hotel Bahia del Duque Resort in Fanabe and the Deluxe 5* Abama Golf Resort, also near Adeje, are attracting well heeled tourists to Island who might otherwise have flown to other exotic destinations. These resorts are of the finest available anywhere in the world.

Tenerife may have managed to attract tourism from the elite spending sector but the clever part is, the enhanced image has increased tourism in all sectors. The new beach in Playa San Juan has just been completed and the older resorts like Los Cristianos have also been given a makeover, so that they are even more popular with the traditional beach holiday maker. The range of activity holidays available now is an added bonus the Island.

The number of low cost flights to the Island has increased dramatically and with just over 4 hours flying time from Northern Europe it has now become one of the most popular tourist destinations for Europeans and Scandinavians.

Tenerife has the advantage of being an all year round holiday island and it offers perhaps the shortest flight to any winter destination offering almost guaranteed sun.

Who invests in Tenerife Property Market?

Current reports suggest there are close on a million inhabitants on the Island and that this has risen dramatically by more than 17% during the past five years. Property ownership has always been popular with the many residents.

There as many as 20,000 UK residents and around 40,000 properties owned by Brits. These figures are not exact and the latter is a conservative estimate based on a number of varied sources. There are also many property owners from other countries such as Holland, Belgium Germany, Italy, Norway and now Russia.

Many people who own property on the Island visit frequently especially the retired who mostly come to Tenerife to escape harsh winters in northern Europe; they are locally referred to as the swallows.

There is a huge rental market in Tenerife, many property owners let out their properties to the tourist market when they are not using them and Tenerife has always been a popular choice for buy to let investors because of the holiday market. There is also a good opportunity for long term letting, perhaps with the advantage of sustaining a little less wear and tear on the property.

Why invest in the Tenerife Property Market now?

Tenerife has been successfully re-invented as an affluent tourist destination and inevitably this has lead to an upsurge of high quality developments being constructed, especially around the lush new golf courses.

There are many off plan developments in Tenerife both in and around the major resorts but now also in less urbanised areas. Many of the older style properties are being refurbished which is a natural progression because there is so much emphasis on quality in the property market.

The resident population is increasing and there is little doubt that Tenerife will become even more popular with retirees, not only from the UK, but also from so many other countries. The numbers of tourists visiting the Island is also set to increase so undoubtedly Tenerife is safe bet for property investors.

Property buyers in Tenerife are not always British or Spanish. The current market has buyers from Ireland, Scandinavia, Germany, Holland, Belgium and now Russia since there are now direct flights.

A recent well known house price index publisher is showing an average annual price increase of 3.2% for the whole of Tenerife. The figures for 2007 show that prices of one and two bed units have increased whereas the price of larger units has actually fallen during the past twelve months, which overall is the reason for low growth.

In southern resorts, notably Los Cristianos, the reality is that prices have fallen to suit the market conditions and anyone who is keen to sell will probably accept a low offer, which is a new trend. The reason why this is happening is because of the less favourable exchange rates for the British investors.

Another reason for the poor property market at the moment is the over-supply of property, particularly in the main resorts in the south, which is leading to falling prices, and this is more obvious at the lower end of the market.

It is fair to say to say that the property market is suffering in Tenerife at the moment, especially with the lack of buyers from the UK, mostly due to the strong Euro exchange rate against the pound. Exchange rates are definitely affecting the property market in Tenerife, especially in the South which is most popular with British buyers.

On the flip side though, most sellers are British anyway and when they convert their Euros back to Pounds they are getting about 17% more than they would have done six months ago anyway, so in real terms they can afford to accept a lower offer. Some sellers are even accepting payment in Sterling to avoid the exchange rate problem, this way most of your money does not have to leave the UK.

In conclusion of all of these factors, we would say that there has never been a better time to invest in a property in the South of Tenerife. There are many bargains around and the sellers if they are British will more often than not try and compensate prospective buyers to assist with the exchange rate problem.

If you need help with raising funds, a variety of options are available. Many people can raise funds against equity which may have accrued on their UK property but we can offer assistance with Spanish Mortgages from a variety of different sources including Abbey (Santander Group) and Halifax Hispania.

As you will see we are offering generous incentives to buyers and we genuinely promise we will help you to pay less. We will also help you with a generous after sales service because we recognise that clients need support with rentals, furnishings, remedial works etc.

We have a larger range of properties available and we can steer you in the right direction. Why not visit our website.

Expedia Property Tenerife

The largest of the Canary Islands, Tenerife is bursting with diversity, from the high peak of mount Teide to the banana plantations in the luscious lowlands of the North. Parque Santiago Apartments Playa De Las Americas complex are only 150 metres from the beach in the most popular of all the islands resorts Playa de las Americas. Only 30 minutes from Rena Sofia Airport, the luxurious self-catering apartments of Parque Santiago give you and your family the freedom to explore Tenerife at your own pace.

Parque Santiago Apartments Playa De Las Americas offers a range of accommodation from studio apartments to a two bedroom villa. All are tastefully decorated and ideally designed to cater for your every need. Test your culinary skills in your well-equipped kitchenette or choose Italian, British pub food or even Chinese at one of the 5 restaurants on the complex.

The complex boasts two huge salt water swimming pools complete with sun deck and children’s pool. If you’re feeling energetic there’s a fitness studio, or relax the pace with a round of mini-golf or a stroll in the beautiful gardens. The kids will be entertained all day at the Park Infantil – the complex’s dedicated children’s water park with slides and fun galore.

Venturing out into the Playa de las Americas resort is essential. Choose from a vast choice of attractions including golf courses, a water park, casino, live floor shows and excellent restaurants to suit everyone. Every possible water sport is catered for from banana boats to pedalos and for the adrenaline junkies – check out BOB Diving – an underwater scooter safari! The looming mountain ranges provide a dramatic back drop to the legendary nightlife in the town centre.

Plunging 800 metres into the Atlantic, the Los Gigantes cliffs are among the highest in Europe. Take a boat trip around the cliffs and spot dolphins and whales or hop aboard a submarine for an underwater approach. If you prefer to keep your feet on the ground various operators offer quads, motorcycles and bicycles for hire, trek over the Tenerife terrain exploring the island’s natural landscape.

One of the most popular attractions in the Canaries, Loro Parque in the north of the island, is home to a vast collection of species including subtropical penguins, orca, tigers and parrots, all housed in state of the art facilities and lush surroundings.

The people of Tenerife are amongst the friendliest in the world, welcoming visitors from all over the globe. The beautifully presented Parque Santiago Apartments Playa De Las Americas Apartments are ideally located so you really can have it all. The beautiful facilities of the complex, coupled with the attractions Tenerife has to offer make the perfect holiday for everyone.

Tenerife, one of the Canary Islands, is set to revive a once-thriving tourism business. The island was once a premier holiday hot spot amongst the elite, but a lack of investment caused it to fade off the holiday destination map. Now, with local leaders pushing for new strategies, Tenerife is making a comeback as the place to be when you want the perfect holiday.

Tenerife used to enjoy a thriving holiday business, but has been surpassed by Greece, Turkey and Egypt. While other countries were developing and improving their tourism aspects, Tenerife choose to take it easy. The result has been the dramatic drop in tourism. But local authorities have begun to analyze ways to kickstart the tourism business.

A meeting was held in which each aspect of the island’s tourism industry was put under the microscope. Over 300 representatives from the industry discussed ways to improve the stagnant industry. An eight-year plan was developed and is being implemented right now. The island plans on regaining its status as the crown jewel of the European tourist market.

One of the major plans for the island is to present it as one giant theme park. New and improved tourist attractions are being developed and added to existing attractions. Old-style hotels will be completely re-vamped and renewed, with an emphasis on modern styles.

The Puerto de la Cruz resort area is one of the areas most in need of renovation. The 70s style blocks will be completely rebuilt, and the tired hotels will be completely refreshed. The tourism bureau of Tenerife hopes that this will bring money into the economy, spurring even more tourist attractions. Though they are changing the area quite a bit, they plan on keeping its old-harbour town charm.

Even with this expansion, the tourism bureau must maintain the highest standard for new construction. That is why the Moratoria act was passed, since past construction had been bloated and of poor quality. The Moratoria prevents new hotels from being built unless they are five-star quality and provide different services, such as a golf course. By keeping this standard, Tenerife plans to bring in wealthier tourists to its beaches and resorts. It also keeps development environmentally conscious, as Tenerife has one of the most beautiful environments in the world.

The boost to the island’s tourism also means a boost to the property value for the locals. Many businesses are looking to increased tourism as a way to jump start poor business and keep their economic standing. With the cost of living rising worldwide, many of the locals need this extra money to survive.

A light rail network that will link the capital in the north to the resort areas of the south has been planned. This is waiting for budget approval, but will drastically improve the public transportation system on the small island.

Even without the added tourist attractions, Tenerife remains one of the most beautiful holiday destinations in the world. The weather is near perfect on the southern half of the island, and the northern half offers lush greenery and beautiful vistas. The cities are always full of life, and the glorious view of Mount Tiede, Spain’s highest point, is breathtaking.