Canary Islands emergency service 112 has launched a new summer safety campaign aimed at reducing preventable accidents during one of the busiest holiday periods of the year, with advice covering road journeys, sea activities, mountain routes, local fiestas and preparation for emergencies.
The campaign, called #NoSeasEstadistica, has been announced by the Centro Coordinador de Emergencias y Seguridad, known as CECOES 112, under the Canary Islands Government. It will run across 112 Canarias social channels over the coming weeks and is built around a simple message: many summer incidents are avoidable when people plan properly, stay alert and adapt their behaviour to local conditions.
For visitors, the timing matters. July and August bring a sharper mix of holiday movement across the islands: airport transfers, hire-car journeys, boat excursions, coastal swimming, hiking, cycling, patron saint fiestas, open-air concerts and family days in busy resort areas. The Canary Islands are used to managing high visitor volumes, but summer concentrates different risks into the same period, especially when hot weather, unfamiliar roads, ocean conditions and crowded events overlap.
The new 112 campaign does not introduce a travel restriction, a new rule for tourists or a warning against visiting the Canary Islands. Flights, hotels, beaches, ferries, excursions and resorts continue to operate as normal. Its importance is more practical: the emergency service is trying to reach people before an avoidable accident becomes a rescue, hospital transfer or emergency call.
What The New 112 Campaign Covers
The campaign will use five videos featuring professionals from different emergency and security services that work with CECOES 112. The topics have been chosen around situations that are especially common in the Canary Islands summer season: driving, the sea, the mountains, traditional events and basic emergency readiness.
The first message focuses on road safety. For holidaymakers, this has an obvious travel-planning angle because many Canary Islands itineraries depend on hire cars, airport transfers, coach excursions or long resort-to-attraction drives. Mountain roads in Tenerife, Gran Canaria, La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro can be spectacular, but they are also very different from the motorway approaches around the main airports. The campaign highlights familiar but often neglected basics: avoid distractions at the wheel, keep a safe distance and respect speed limits.
A second strand deals with maritime activity. The Guardia Civil will provide advice for people going out to sea or practising water sports. Visitors who book boat trips, rent equipment, sail with local operators or arrange independent nautical activities are being reminded to plan the activity, check the weather forecast, inspect the boat or equipment and make sure the required permits are in place. In a destination where whale watching, sailing, diving, kayaking, jet skiing and coastal excursions are central to many holidays, this message has direct relevance for tourists as well as residents.
The mountain-safety advice will be led by the Grupo de Emergencias y Salvamento, the emergency and rescue group often associated with difficult terrain and urgent interventions. Its recommendations include carrying enough water, using sun protection, taking a mobile phone with battery power and avoiding outdoor activity during episodes of high temperatures. These points are particularly important for visitors planning Teide National Park, Anaga, Teno, Roque Nublo, Caldera de Taburiente, Garajonay, volcanic landscapes in Lanzarote or any rural walking route where shade, services and mobile coverage may be limited.
The campaign also addresses fiestas, romerias and pilgrimages. Summer in the Canary Islands is rich in local celebration, from coastal Virgen del Carmen processions to inland village events, music nights, food gatherings and religious or cultural routes. The Canary Police will remind participants to take precautions when walking near roads, including the use of reflective clothing and walking on the side that allows pedestrians to see oncoming vehicles. For visitors, the message is simple: enjoy local events, but remember that some celebrations take place on streets and rural roads that may also carry traffic, service vehicles or crowds moving at night.
The final theme is emergency preparation. The Directorate General of Emergencies will show how to prepare a basic emergency bag with essential items for unexpected situations. That may sound more relevant to residents, but it also applies to travellers staying in villas, rural houses, apartments, campervans or smaller villages, especially when a day trip involves remote viewpoints, natural pools, mountain roads or an island-hopping schedule.
| Campaign Theme | Why It Matters For Visitors | Practical Takeaway |
|---|---|---|
| Road safety | Many holidays involve hire cars, transfers and scenic mountain drives. | Avoid distractions, respect limits and leave more space than usual on unfamiliar roads. |
| Sea activities | Boat trips, water sports and coastal excursions are major holiday activities. | Check forecasts, use suitable equipment and confirm permits or operator credentials where needed. |
| Mountain routes | Hiking and viewpoint trips can become risky in heat or remote terrain. | Carry water, sun protection and a charged phone, and avoid routes during high-temperature episodes. |
| Fiestas and romerias | Summer events often mix crowds, roads, night-time movement and alcohol. | Use reflective clothing near roads and keep children or groups together in busy areas. |
| Emergency readiness | Unexpected disruption can affect day trips, rural stays or long drives. | Know how to call 112, carry essentials and keep accommodation or tour contacts accessible. |
Why This Is Relevant During Canary Islands Holidays
The Canary Islands are often marketed through sun, beaches and reliable weather, but the visitor experience is much broader than a resort pool or a seafront promenade. A single holiday may include airport queues, a motorway transfer, a volcanic national park, a fishing village lunch, a coastal swim, a catamaran excursion, a late-night fiesta and a return drive through an unfamiliar urban area. That variety is one of the archipelago's strengths, but it also creates different safety responsibilities.
In practice, many visitors underestimate how quickly the islands can change from easy resort conditions to more demanding terrain. Tenerife can take a traveller from Costa Adeje to high-altitude Teide landscapes in the same morning. Gran Canaria can shift from Maspalomas dunes to winding roads around Tejeda or Artenara. La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro reward slow exploration, but their ravines, forests and viewpoints require more preparation than a casual beach walk. Lanzarote and Fuerteventura may feel open and dry, yet wind, heat, remote coastlines and unprotected roads can still catch out poorly planned excursions.
The 112 campaign is therefore best understood as a visitor-quality message, not a negative travel story. Good emergency prevention helps tourists enjoy more of the islands with fewer interruptions. It also reduces pressure on rescue services, health teams, police, lifeguards, local councils and tour operators during the months when public spaces are busiest.
For tourism businesses, the campaign is a reminder that safety information is part of the holiday product. Hotels, aparthotels, holiday-rental managers, activity companies, excursion desks, car-hire operators and guides all influence how visitors behave. A guest who receives clear advice about coastal flags, heat, mountain clothing, water, road conditions or fiesta transport is less likely to need help later. This is especially important for first-time visitors who may not know the difference between a managed beach, a natural pool, a wild coast, a protected trail and a high-altitude viewpoint.
Road Trips: The Risk Visitors Often Normalise
Road safety may seem like the least exotic part of a Canary Islands holiday, but it is one of the most important. Many visitors arrive after an early flight, collect a hire car, adjust to a different vehicle, navigate airport roads and drive straight to a resort or rural accommodation. Others use cars for day trips to beaches, markets, viewpoints, theme parks or restaurants. Even confident drivers can be distracted by unfamiliar signage, scenery, roundabouts, bus lanes, narrow streets or steep mountain sections.
The 112 campaign's road-safety advice is basic by design because basic errors cause many avoidable problems. Mobile-phone use, tiredness, tailgating, sudden braking for viewpoints and underestimating bends on secondary roads can turn a leisure journey into an emergency. In resort areas, pedestrians may also be moving between hotels, restaurants, taxi ranks, beaches and nightlife zones, especially in the evening.
Visitors should build more time into drives than a map app suggests, particularly when heading into rural or mountainous areas. A route that looks short in kilometres may be slow because of curves, elevation, local traffic, cyclists or parking limitations. This is not a reason to avoid scenic drives; it is a reason to treat them as part of the trip rather than as dead time between attractions.
Sea Activities: Check Conditions Before The Holiday Mood Takes Over
The maritime part of the campaign is especially relevant to the Canary Islands because the ocean is central to the destination's identity. Many visitors come for beaches, surf schools, diving, boat trips, snorkelling, whale watching, paddleboarding, sailing or fishing. The islands offer exceptional sea experiences, but Atlantic conditions deserve respect even on a sunny day.
A beach that looks calm from a promenade can have currents, rocks, shore break or sudden changes in wind. A boat trip that is safe with a professional operator may not be comparable to an independent outing with unsuitable equipment. A paddleboard or kayak route that feels manageable close to shore can become difficult if wind or swell increases. The campaign's emphasis on planning, weather checks, equipment review and permits is therefore practical travel advice rather than bureaucracy.
For visitors, the safest approach is to choose reputable operators, listen to crew instructions, respect beach flags, avoid swimming alone in unfamiliar spots and be cautious around natural pools when waves are breaking over the rocks. The Canary Islands have many well-managed coastal areas, but not every beautiful place is a supervised bathing area.
Mountain And Nature Routes: Heat Changes The Plan
The mountain-safety section of the new campaign lands at a time when heat episodes are a recurring summer planning issue. The Canary Islands are not uniformly hot in the same way every day, but temperatures can rise sharply in inland, southern, western and mid-altitude areas. Warm nights can also leave walkers, cyclists and families more tired before a day even begins.
For hikers and nature visitors, the advice to carry enough water, use sun protection and keep a phone charged should be treated as minimum preparation. In some protected areas, there may be limited shade, long distances between facilities and routes where turning back is harder than expected. A fashionable photo stop can also be misleading: the viewpoint may be easy to reach, while the surrounding trail requires proper footwear, water, navigation and awareness of weather changes.
A sensible visitor plan in summer often means starting early, choosing shorter routes, checking official alerts, avoiding exposed terrain during the hottest hours and telling someone the intended route. Guided walks can add value, particularly in areas where local knowledge helps with route choice, heat exposure, conservation rules and emergency response.
Fiestas, Romerias And Summer Events: Culture With Common Sense
The inclusion of fiestas and romerias in the campaign is a useful sign of how the Canary Islands summer really works. Tourism is not separated from local life. Visitors often encounter village celebrations, maritime processions, concerts, night markets, open-air food stalls, religious events and traditional gatherings, sometimes by chance and sometimes because the event itself is part of the travel plan.
These events can be memorable precisely because they are local, informal and rooted in community life. They can also involve crowded streets, temporary traffic arrangements, late-night walking, alcohol, uneven pavements and rural roads. The recommendation to use reflective clothing when walking beside roads may sound modest, but it is the kind of practical detail that prevents incidents, especially after dark or in areas where street lighting is limited.
Visitors who join local events should pay attention to municipal instructions, avoid blocking access for emergency vehicles, keep children close in crowds and plan the return journey before the evening begins. Using taxis, public transport, organised transfers or walking routes with good visibility can make the difference between a relaxed cultural experience and an avoidable problem.
What To Do If Something Goes Wrong
The emergency number in the Canary Islands is 112, the same European emergency number used across Spain. Visitors should call 112 in a genuine emergency involving injury, danger, fire, rescue, serious traffic incidents, urgent medical need or risk to life. The most useful information is the location, what has happened, how many people are affected and what condition they are in.
Location is often the hardest part for visitors. Resort names, beach nicknames, viewpoint names and map pins can be confusing, especially when stress rises. Before heading to remote places, travellers should save accommodation addresses, tour contacts, route names and parking points. Keeping a charged phone is not just useful for photos and navigation; it can be essential for emergency coordination.
The emergency-bag element of the campaign also has a holiday version. Visitors do not need to travel as if they are on an expedition, but a day pack with water, medication, sun protection, a power bank, identification, a light layer, basic snacks and accommodation details is sensible for longer excursions. Families, older travellers and people with medical conditions should be even more deliberate.
No New Restrictions, But A Clearer Message To Visitors
It is important to separate this campaign from a travel warning. The Canary Islands are not telling holidaymakers to stay away, nor has the 112 announcement changed access to beaches, trails, resorts or events. The campaign is preventive. It asks people already enjoying the islands to make better choices during the weeks when emergency risks naturally rise.
That distinction matters because Canary Islands tourism is currently balancing two messages at once. The archipelago wants to remain welcoming, competitive and attractive for holidays, while also promoting more responsible behaviour in natural spaces, coastal areas and local communities. Safety campaigns, sustainability messages, heat alerts, wildfire-prevention notices and responsible-tourism guidance all sit within that wider shift toward a more mature visitor model.
For travellers, the practical reading is reassuring: most holidays will continue exactly as planned, but visitors can improve their own experience by treating local advice as part of the destination. The islands are easy to enjoy when plans match conditions. Problems usually arise when people drive tired, ignore sea warnings, start hikes too late, underestimate heat, wander along roads at night without visibility or assume every natural place is managed like a resort beach.
What Holidaymakers Should Take From The Campaign
The most useful takeaway is not fear; it is preparation. Before a road trip, check the route and avoid rushing. Before a boat or water-sports activity, check the weather and listen to the operator. Before a mountain walk, carry water and avoid high-temperature periods. Before joining a fiesta, think about visibility, crowds and the journey back. Before leaving accommodation for a long day out, make sure someone in the group has a charged phone and knows where you are going.
This advice is especially relevant for independent travellers. Package-holiday guests often receive transfer details, excursion instructions and hotel guidance, while independent visitors may rely more heavily on phones and quick searches. The freedom to explore is one of the best reasons to visit the Canary Islands, but independent travel works better when visitors respect the realities of island terrain, weather and infrastructure.
Families should also treat the campaign as a useful prompt. Children may tire quickly in heat, become harder to supervise in fiestas or underestimate currents and waves. Older relatives may need extra water, rest stops and shade. Mixed groups should plan around the most vulnerable member, not the strongest walker, swimmer or driver.
A Practical Summer Message For A Busy Destination
The launch of #NoSeasEstadistica gives the Canary Islands a timely safety message at the height of the summer season. It is not dramatic news in the sense of a closure, strike or disruption, but it is exactly the kind of public information that can make holidays safer and smoother when visitor numbers, temperatures and outdoor activity all rise together.
For FlyToCanarias readers planning a July or August trip, the editorial conclusion is straightforward. Keep your Canary Islands holiday plans, but travel with local conditions in mind. The archipelago rewards visitors who slow down, check the basics and treat beaches, roads, mountains and fiestas as real places rather than a backdrop. The new 112 campaign is a reminder that good preparation does not reduce the holiday feeling. It protects it.
In that sense, the campaign is also a useful signal for the tourism sector. A destination that wants higher-quality, more sustainable tourism needs clear communication before problems happen. By focusing on the most common summer risk areas and using emergency professionals to explain them, 112 Canarias is putting prevention where it belongs: at the start of the holiday decision, not only at the moment of crisis.