The event’s equivalent advertising value has increased more than fivefold in two years, with 3,078 media mentions recorded and more than €52 million attributed to social media
“We are using sport to tell the world what Gran Canaria is like,” said Carlos Álamo
The North Face Transgrancanaria 2026 has reached an equivalent advertising value of €60.87 million, according to the media impact study carried out by AConecta Comunicación. The figure represents more than a fivefold increase compared with the value recorded in 2024, when the event’s equivalent advertising value stood at €11.58 million.
The report, based on monitoring of media outlets and social networks between 1 January and 15 April 2026, recorded 3,078 mentions of The North Face Transgrancanaria. Of the total value achieved, more than €8 million correspond to conventional media, while more than €52 million come from social media, which has consolidated its position as the event’s main communication channel.
The figures were presented at the headquarters of Turismo del Cabildo de Gran Canaria, at an event attended by institutional representatives, organisers, municipalities and sponsors linked to the race.
Gran Canaria at the centre of an international projection
The Tourism Councillor of the Cabildo de Gran Canaria, Carlos Álamo, opened the event and highlighted the tourism and territorial dimension of The North Face Transgrancanaria.
“Today we are not simply here to talk about an international race held in Gran Canaria. Obviously, we are talking about sport, but we are also talking about nature, territory and, of course, tourism,” said Álamo, who recalled that the latest edition brought together runners from 68 different nationalities, with foreign participants accounting for 44%.
For the councillor, one of the event’s greatest achievements has been associating the name of Gran Canaria with strategic values for the destination such as “nature, sport, experiences, sustainability and, of course, active tourism”.
Álamo announced during his speech the figure that would subsequently become the focus of the presentation: €60.87 million in equivalent advertising value, compared with €11.58 million in 2024. “In just two years, the equivalent advertising value has increased more than fivefold. I think the figure speaks for itself,” he stressed.
However, the councillor wanted to focus particularly on what lies behind that figure: “thousands and thousands of images of Gran Canaria circulating around the world”. In this regard, he highlighted the €52.75 million in equivalent advertising value attributed to content published by runners, journalists, photographers, fans and content creators.
“And the best thing is that it is not us telling someone: ‘Come to Gran Canaria, it’s wonderful’. It is the runners themselves, the journalists, the photographers, the fans, the content creators… people who come here to run, who suffer a little —or quite a lot, some of them—, who then enjoy the island and ultimately tell us about their experience,” he explained.
Álamo linked this ability to act as ambassadors with the evolution of tourism towards a model based on experiences. “Today’s tourist does not simply want to come to a hotel. They want to experience the destination. They want to walk, run, eat well, discover our villages, explore our culture and take home an experience they can later share,” he said.
The media results also have a direct impact on the island’s economic activity. According to the figures presented, 15,078 direct tourists, including participants from outside Gran Canaria and accompanying persons, generated 90,468 tourist overnight stays and an injection of €7,539,000 into the accommodation sector.
“This is not just about likes. It is not just about beautiful photographs. It is about the economy. It is about employment. It is about occupied hotel beds, restaurants, businesses and municipalities receiving activity. And it is also Gran Canaria travelling around the world,” Álamo stressed.
The councillor summed up the role currently played by the event as follows: “When we support The North Face Transgrancanaria, we are not simply supporting a sporting competition. We are using sport to tell the world what Gran Canaria is like, to showcase our territory, generate economic activity and attract the visitor we want: an active visitor who explores the island, gets to know our municipalities, enjoys nature and then becomes our best ambassador.”
A collective achievement and a commitment to the territory
The director of The North Face Transgrancanaria, Carlos González, put the results into perspective and stressed that the figures are the result of the joint efforts of all the stakeholders involved in the event.
“This is not the work of Arista Eventos. It is a collective achievement. We stir the pot, but that pot needs good ingredients,” said González, before listing among them public and private institutional support, the people working to deliver the event, volunteers, the population of Gran Canaria and the runners themselves.
The race director identified two major objectives for the future: maximising the quality of the event and minimising the negative impact generated by a competition of this scale.
In this regard, he explained that quality should not be measured solely in economic or tourism terms, but also by the event’s ability to improve the quality of life of the municipalities through which the race passes, respect the territory and promote youth categories to bring younger generations closer to sport and healthy lifestyles.
González also recalled the organisation’s environmental commitment and highlighted that The North Face Transgrancanaria was the first event to become part of the Canary Islands Carbon Footprint Register, promoted by the Canary Islands Government’s Ministry for Ecological Transition.
“We want to continue improving everyone’s quality of life as the event improves and, at the same time, minimise the impact it has on our natural environment and surroundings,” he concluded.
An event showcasing the whole of Gran Canaria
The presentation also highlighted the ability of The North Face Transgrancanaria to showcase the island’s different territories. The Mayor of Gáldar, Teodoro Sosa, particularly highlighted the incorporation of the north of the island into the route and the opportunity to present a different side of Gran Canaria.
“The north has enormous potential: it has landscapes, gastronomy, ethnography, heritage and, above all, roots and identity. Showcasing all of this through an international event such as Transgrancanaria is also a way of promoting Gran Canaria,” said Sosa, who highlighted the value of Gáldar becoming firmly involved in the event.
From Teror, Sports Councillor Moisés Rodríguez focused on the race’s ability to generate loyalty among visitors. “The best proof that we are doing things well is that people come back. They do not simply come to run a race, make a physical effort and leave. They return year after year to enjoy Gran Canaria, discover new places, explore our villages and experience it all over again,” he said.
Sports Councillor of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Carla Campoamor, highlighted the importance of the Classic starting from Las Canteras beach and the city’s ability to position itself as a sports destination all year round. She also highlighted Arista Eventos’ commitment to youth development and streaming, which allows viewers around the world to discover Gran Canaria’s landscapes and terrain while following the competition.
For her part, Councillor for the Presidency and Culture of the San Bartolomé de Tirajana Town Council, Elena Álamo, highlighted the municipality’s connection with an event that provides an important international showcase. “Having the finish line in a wonderful municipality such as San Bartolomé de Tirajana allows us to showcase our values, our spaces and our tourism offering to runners, accompanying persons, media and visitors from all over the world,” she said.
3,078 media mentions and more than €60 million in equivalent advertising value
The study presented during the event by Marta Thomás, Advertising & Event Manager at AConecta Comunicación, analyses the exposure achieved by The North Face Transgrancanaria 2026 between 1 January and 15 April.
The methodology combines information from external media intelligence platforms and analyses variables such as each outlet’s audience, its news relevance, type of exposure, time slot, geographical reach and the potential visibility of the content, among other factors.
The study’s final result is 3,078 mentions and an equivalent advertising value of €60.87 million. More than €8 million correspond to conventional media —print, radio, television and digital media— while more than €52 million correspond to the estimated equivalent advertising value for social media.
Within social media, Instagram stands out in particular, accounting for more than 98% of the value generated in this area, driven to a large extent by the content strategy and the organisation’s collaboration with content creators and athletes. In conventional media, digital press accounts for more than 92% of the value generated.
The results reflect extraordinary media exposure and consolidate The North Face Transgrancanaria 2026 as a platform for the national and international projection of Gran Canaria, as well as of the brands and institutions that make the event possible. The study itself nevertheless notes that no system is capable of monitoring 100% of the media ecosystem and that the results correspond exclusively to the period analysed.
The event concluded with a group photograph featuring institutional representatives, organisers and sponsors of the race, including Sebastián Sansó, General Manager of Hospitales Universitarios San Roque; Carmen Romero, from the Communications Department of Ahembo; and Aida Martín and Zulay Santana, from the Business Development and Sales departments, respectively.
The North Face Transgrancanaria is organised by Arista Eventos and is sponsored by the Cabildo de Gran Canaria, through Turismo de Gran Canaria and the Instituto Insular de Deportes; Las Palmas de Gran Canaria City Council, through the Instituto Municipal de Deportes; Gáldar City Council; San Bartolomé de Tirajana Town Council; Teror Town Council; Santa Lucía de Tirajana Town Council and Tejeda Town Council. It also has the support of The North Face, Hospitales Universitarios San Roque, Lopesan Hotel Group, ExpoMeloneras, 226ERS, Fred. Olsen Express, Sonocom Audiovisuales and Aguas de Teror.