Tourism is the driving force behind the economy, which also has other sources of income such as port activity - fundamental for both commerce and the services sector -, agriculture, livestock, fishing and, to a lesser extent the industrial sector, limited in practise to small processing centres for goods.

Tenerife receives more than 4,000,000 tourists a year; so the hospitality industry and the services sector generate more than 60% of its GDP.

Agriculture accounts for less than 10% of GDP, although it makes an important contribution to the island in that it generates incalculable benefits, related to sustaining the rural landscape and maintaining the cultural values of Tenerife.

Bananas are the leading crop, with Tenerife being the leading producer of the Canary Islands. Annual production has stabilised around 150,000 metric tonnes in recent years, after peaking at 200,000 tonnes in 1986. Just over 90% of the crop goes to the Spanish domestic market. Banana plantations cover 4,200 Has. of land.

The next most important crop is tomatoes, followed by potatoes, flowers and ornamental plants and vines.