Twenty-four ’selfie spots‘ are gradually being installed across the Canary Islands. These locations are designed to allow holidaymakers and locals to snap the perfect selfie. The tourism authority has opened the first selfie spot of its kind in Arucas on Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands. Many more will follow soon.
The pilot project was launched at the Plaza de la Constitución: in its first year, the new photo spots are set to comprise 24 selfie stations at iconic locations across the Canary Islands. Visitors can not only take selfies there, but also access audiovisual information about each location.
The Minister for Tourism, Jéssica de León, described the selfie spots as „a pioneering project on the islands that showcases the historical and cultural heritage and drives digitalisation forward“. And this is how the stations work:
Selfie route opens on Gran Canaria
The selfie stations in the Canary Islands require no electricity and are manufactured entirely sustainably. They have been patented by the company „Turs“. A mobile phone is clamped into the device, ensuring it doesn’t tip over and providing the perfect angle with the landmark in the background.
Smartphone owners can mount their phone, set the self-timer and pose for the camera. A few seconds later, the perfect snapshot is taken. To help you post the right caption on social media, key information about the location is provided in three languages. Multimedia content is also available via a QR code.
Canary Islands ’selfie stations‘ as an alternative to travel guides
De León sees the route as „a step towards the integration of smart tourism“. The minister also highlighted the possibility of collecting data via geolocation. It would therefore be possible to find out how often the selfie stations are used and by whom. This would provide insights into nationalities and their interests whilst on holiday. However, this data is only made public if a photo is shared on social media and the location where it was taken is linked.
The tourism associations involved aim to create a network of strategically important photo spots and, at the same time, promote travel between relevant locations and islands. According to the presentation, this would allow every visitor to create their own selfie route and discover places that may, perhaps unfairly, not be given much prominence in guidebooks.
Where are the selfie stations in the Canary Islands?
A total of 24 selfie stations are set to open by 2025: four of them will be built on Gran Canaria. They will be located in Arucas, Tejeda, Artenara and Agaete. Three more will be set up on Fuerteventura – specifically in Betancuria, Tuineje and La Oliva. In addition, three stations are planned on Lanzarote – in La Geria, Villa de Teguise and Arrecife – as well as four on Tenerife. These will be built in La Orotava, La Laguna, Garachico and Icod de los Vinos.
Three further stations are planned on La Palma in El Paso, Garafía and Santa Cruz de La Palma, as well as one in San Sebastián on La Gomera. The project is rounded off by two selfie stations on El Hierro: in El Pinar and La Restinga. The project is being funded with a budget of 204,000 euros.
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