Tips for preparing film shoots in the Canary Islands

March 23, 2026

3 minute read

The Canary Islands are consolidating their position as an audiovisual hub. According to data from the island government, 180 productions were carried out there in 2025, generating more than €432 million in direct revenue. This represents nearly 17% more shoots than the previous year and double the earnings.

This record, driven mostly by Spanish production companies (74%) and directors such as Pedro Almodóvar and Rodrigo Sorogoyen, is the result of European tax incentives, unique landscapes, and local services.

In this article, we review the advantages of filming in the Canary Islands, analyze the challenge of accommodation for productions, and offer a solution to plan it smoothly.

Advantages of filming in the Canary Islands

There are three key reasons behind the boom in film, television, and advertising productions in the Canary Islands: strong economic incentives, versatile locations, and a service sector that is already well established.

1. Tax Incentives and Legal Framework

Tax deductions make the Canary Islands one of the most attractive regions in Europe for filming. The current law allows for up to a 54% tax deduction for productions, provided that a minimum amount is spent in the local territory. These advantages include:

Tax deductions for direct investment in Canary Islands-based services, such as equipment rental and local technical staff.
Benefits through the Canary Islands Special Zone (ZEC) for audiovisual companies based in the Canary Islands.
Support from the Canary Islands Film Commission and the island Film Commissions to speed up different permits.

2. A world of locations

The Canary Islands offer seven islands with landscapes that can double for everything from volcanic deserts to tropical rainforests. It is a whole universe of settings on a very manageable scale. This variety brings many advantages for location teams, resulting in less downtime and lower transport costs:

Versatile and simplified logistics: diverse sets within short travel distances, without intercontinental flights.
Favorable climate: more than 300 days of sunshine a year on average for filming.
Proven experience: locations that have already hosted shoots in the past have technical know-how and administrative precedents.

3. A growing audiovisual ecosystem

The Government states that in 2025 alone, the audiovisual sector generated 20,000 direct jobs in the Canary Islands. This figure reflects how the industry has built a network of local suppliers who understand the language of production and offer:

Technicians trained in local schools, used to the pace and demands of international sets.
Specialized service companies such as vehicle rental, machinery, generators, electrical equipment, and catering providers.
Grant schemes from the island councils that encourage co-productions with Canary Islands talent.

The challenge of accommodation for film shoots

However, all the growth we have discussed runs into a bottleneck: corporate accommodation.

Although the audiovisual sector has professionalized key services, accommodation still largely depends on hotels and B2C platforms. This creates inefficiencies that take focus away from the shoot.

Scattered bookings, rigid tourism policies, and the lack of a single point of contact make life harder for location managers and accommodation producers. Let’s look at some specific examples.

Limits of the B2C model

Managing the 20 or 50 bookings that a production may require on a consumer-oriented platform consumes far too many working hours. And in film, time is money. Some drawbacks of searching for accommodation on standard booking websites or apps include:

Geographically fragmented teams, far from their operational bases.
Rigid cancellation policies that do not fit the schedule changes typical of a film shoot.
Multiple decentralized invoices, which delay production companies’ accounting close processes.
Spaces without reliable internet or areas to work on team briefings, script readings, or technical tests.

Accommodation needs for production companies

Production companies need accommodation that solves the real logistics of a shoot, not just beds to sleep in or tourist facilities. Here are the specific priorities, ordered by urgency:

Proximity to the filming set. Ideally, travel times should be under 30 minutes by car.
Room types tailored to roles and budgets. For example, two-bedroom apartments with a worktable for directors and showrunners, or single-occupancy twin rooms with ample parking for technicians.
Flexible, multi-week stays. Capacity should be scalable to accommodate temporary reinforcements, allow staggered check-ins, and enable date changes due to weather conditions or unforeseen events in the shooting schedule.
Work-friendly amenities. Good internet, worktables, high-capacity power outlets, and fully equipped kitchens for quick meals before and after the working day.
Professional invoicing with centralized billing, the required withholdings, and reduced VAT.
24/7 support. Assistance should adapt to the pace of filming, offer check-ins and check-outs at any time, and support the crew in multiple languages.

Apartool: accommodation for your film shoot in the Canary Islands

Apartool manages temporary accommodation for companies with teams working away from home, from events to audiovisual productions. It also operates in the Canary Islands, where it has a wide catalog of verified apartments.

How it works

The platform connects production companies with a network of professional accommodation options adapted to medium- and long-term stays. The process is simple:

The production company sends a briefing to Apartool. This includes the dates, filming locations, guest profiles, and available budget. Special requests, such as pets, are also communicated.
In less than two days, Apartool responds with a proposal. This includes a selection of units with maps, photos, and nightly rates.
Apartool manages the booking process end to end, from collecting documents to check-in, handling any issues during the stay, and finally invoicing.

Proven experience with audiovisual projects

Apartool has already demonstrated its ability to manage entire crews with the flexibility that a film shoot requires. Some success stories speak for themselves:

Feature film in Alicante (3 months). Apartool accommodated 90 people, including technicians, production staff, and actors, across eight properties just steps from the sets, with a gym, high-speed Wi-Fi, and last-minute adjustments. The proposal was delivered in under 48 hours after the request, and the booking was finalized in just five days.
Feature film in Barcelona (25 nights). This booking, especially challenging due to its short duration, secured 20 apartments, five of them pet-friendly and one accessible, perfectly suited to a crew with specific needs in one of Spain’s highest-demand cities.
Commercial shoot in Madrid (8 nights). For this production, Apartool secured 10 apartments for the crew and one additional luxury apartment for a key member of the production team. All were in the same area, less than 3 km from the set, and within the stated budget.

Filming in the Canary Islands is a reliable choice thanks to its unique locations, tax incentives, and fully mature industry. But the real leap in quality comes when accommodation stops being a logistical problem and becomes a strategic asset for the production.

Apartool understands your production company’s real accommodation needs: proximity, flexibility, and zero hassle. Get in touch to request your next booking.

Tips for preparing film shoots in the Canary Islands

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Tips for preparing film shoots in the Canary Islands

Table of contents

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