kly.co.uk/cms/media/eas-id-cms/26620" alt="" width="299" height="199" align="right" class="newsArticleImage">

Tenerife is expecting to welcome 1.7 million visitors from the UK this year, a significant rise from the 1.64 million who visited the island in 2014.

Alberto Bernabe, Tenerife minister of tourism, said the reintroduction of full-service British Airways and Iberia flights had boosted numbers, particularly in the higher star rating categories.

In the past 15 years, visitor numbers to Tenerife have remained fairly consistent, but the proportion of those staying in five-star accommodation has risen sharply. In 2000, 24,000 were staying in five-star properties; in 2015, that number will be 190,000.

Speaking at World Travel Market, Bernabe said he had had a number of positive conversations with airlines, with Jet2 and Monarch among those indicating they would be adding capacity in 2016.

Bernabe added that the island would continue to invest in consumer and trade promotions to highlight the range of outdoor activities available beyond traditional sun and beach holidays.

It has launched a Tenerife No Limits campaign which showcases activities including hiking, di