The president of the Cabildo of Tenerife, Pedro Martín, highlights that “between 2019 and 2022,
filming left more than 194 million euros on the island, which represents 60 percent of the economic
investment of the last 22 years”
The 122 productions last year generated more than 9,633 jobs, 12 percent more than in 2021
Last year, Tenerife hosted a total of 122 film shoots which generated more than 9,600 jobs and an expenditure of 101 million euros by production companies on the island. An economic impact, which, according to the president of the Cabildo of Tenerife, Pedro Martín, “represents a new historic record compared to what we had in 2021, with 40 million euros more this year”.
At the presentation of the results of the Tenerife Film Commission, which the island’s Director of Tourism, Laura Castro, and the CEO of Tenerife Tourism Corporation, David Pérez, also attended, the island’s president said that “these figures definitively consolidate the island as a priority destination for audio-visual filming, with increasingly important and high-level productions”.
During his speech, Pedro Martín highlighted that between 2000 and 2018, filming left around 130 million euros on the island, while between 2019 and 2022, spending exceeded 194 million. “We are talking, therefore, that 60 percent of the economic investment of the last 22 years has been generated in the last four years, and the forecast is that this trend will continue,” he added.
The island president also emphasised the number of jobs created, with the hiring of 3,467 qualified jobs (technical and artistic staff) and 6,166 extras, making 9,633 new hires, 12 percent more than in 2021.
In this regard, he recalled that the Cabildo has been working for years to set up film studios on the island. “We believe that this is an opportunity to continue promoting the sector and to generate specialised employment. We want Tenerife not only to be a film set where people come to film, but also a place where production starts from the bottom up,” he concluded.
For her part, the island’s director of Tourism, Laura Castro, explained that the island hosted 122 productions in 2022, 67 fewer than in 2021; “although this has not translated into less spending or fewer bookings”, she clarified. “With which, I think it is important to highlight the sustainability of these productions, in line with the tourism strategy that we have been developing since the beginning of the mandate, with which we seek that necessary balance between quantity and quality,” he added.
Castro stressed that “with each project carried out on the island, jobs are generated, visitors are attracted and local commerce is promoted”, and he highlighted “the high degree of professionalism of local companies and professionals, who have contributed to consolidating Tenerife’s position”. In this regard, he recalled that, through the Film Commission, five courses have been organised, attended by more than a hundred students from different specialities (coordination, location manager, direction and executive production or Eco manager).
For his part, the CEO of Tenerife Tourism Corporation, David Pérez, highlighted the good results also obtained in animation, “a sector that continues to give us joy and which in 2022 generated close to 18 million euros, 18.5 percent more than in 2021, which represents close to 20 percent of the global economic impact of the audio-visual industry”.
In this regard, David Pérez recalled that there are already eight animation companies installed on the island and assured that “these figures consolidate Tenerife as the Ibero-American animation capital. In fact, next May the island will once again host a new edition of the Quirino Awards”.
Outstanding productions
Spain was the main territory of origin of these productions, with a total of 43, of which seven were local productions. Twenty-eight productions came from Germany and another 28 from the rest of the European Union. In addition, seven projects from the United Kingdom chose to shoot on the island, while nine came from America.
One of the British productions was Europe From Above, a National Geographic TV show that displays spectacular aerial journeys across Europe and that chose to include everything Tenerife has to offer in their latest season, revealing things not so easily seen from the ground to everyone.
A Town Called Malice is also worth mentioning, as this upcoming British crime thriller television series, created by Nick Love for Sky Max, will be available on Sky from 16th March. Production took place in Tenerife from January to June 2022.
Some other main productions are series such as Foundation 2, a Skydance TV production for Apple TV with Sur Film service; Jack Ryan 4, a Paramount production for Amazon with 7 Islands Film production service; The Head 2, produced by Mediapro, or 30 monedas, a Pokeepsie Films production for HBO Max, directed by Álex de la Iglesia.
Also noteworthy are the feature films Lo carga el diablo, co-produced by Volcano Films; El salto, directed by Benito Zambrano; and Reyes vs Santa, produced by Morena Films.
In terms of animation, most of the productions were series, including Tara Duncan (by Princess Sam Pictures for Disney) and Treasure Trekkers T.2 (B Water Studios). Also noteworthy was the animated film Inspector Sun y la maldición de la viuda negra, nominated for Best Film at the Goya Awards 2023.
