Amazon MGM Studios scout Gran Canaria for future productions

Gran Canaria could become the location for future international film and television productions after a delegation of senior executives from Amazon MGM Studios visited the island to assess what it can offer.

Seven executives from the company's film and television division travelled from the United States for the visit, during which they examined Gran Canaria's production facilities, natural and urban locations, tax incentives and the capabilities of the local audiovisual industry.

The delegation toured Gran Canaria Platós, the island's purpose-built film studios managed by the Sociedad de Promoción Económica de Gran Canaria (SPEGC), which is part of the Cabildo.

During the visit, SPEGC managing director Cosme García Falcón and his technical team presented the facilities and explained the infrastructure available to major international productions.

The executives were also briefed on the Canary Islands' tax incentives for audiovisual productions and the network of local companies and professionals available to support filming on the island.

From Vegueta to the Maspalomas Dunes

The visit was not confined to the studios.

Amazon MGM representatives were shown several very different potential locations around Gran Canaria, including the historic district of Vegueta in Las Palmas, a banana plantation and the Maspalomas Dunes in the south of the island.

The selection demonstrated the variety of urban and natural settings available within a relatively small geographical area.

The delegation also met local production companies and businesses working within the audiovisual sector to assess the services and expertise available should future projects be brought to the island.

Gran Canaria has worked increasingly hard to establish itself as an international filming destination, combining its climate and range of landscapes with studio infrastructure, experienced production companies and the Canary Islands' fiscal incentives.

The Cabildo-backed SPEGC says visits by major international studios are important for positioning the island when companies are deciding where future productions will be filmed.

No production confirmed yet

However, the visit does not mean that Amazon MGM Studios has confirmed a film or television production in Gran Canaria.

The company has not announced a specific project or filming dates for the island.

Instead, the seven executives were assessing Gran Canaria's suitability and gaining first-hand knowledge of its studios, locations and production capabilities for potential future collaborations.

Even without a confirmed project, attracting a delegation from one of the world's major film and television companies is a significant opportunity for Gran Canaria's growing audiovisual industry.

International productions can generate substantial economic activity beyond the film sector itself, with accommodation, transport, catering, vehicle hire and other local businesses potentially benefiting when large productions spend weeks or months filming on the islands.

The latest visit means Gran Canaria will now be among the locations familiar to Amazon MGM Studios executives when suitable future productions are being considered.