Tenerife paved the way today for tourists to be charged to visit the island’s natural spaces including the iconic Teide mountain.
Its politicians voted to introduce the fee for non-residents following a viability study.
Island president Rosa Davila had proposed a charge in the run-up to a full island council meeting on Friday afternoon where it was agreed the idea would be moved forward.
As well as the 12,188ft Mount Teide, tourists will also have to pay to get into the Anaga and Teno Rural Parks in the north-west of the island once the system is in place from its scheduled start date of January 1st, 2025.
The amount visitors will be charged has not yet been indicated.
Friday’s vote follows mounting pressure on politicians to deal with some of the demands made by protestors who took to the streets of the Canary Islands last Saturday.
Thousands protested in Tenerife and the other islands in the Atlantic archipelago as part of their campaign for a change towards more sustainable tourism and a solution to problems, which include more affordable housing which have been blamed on excess Airbnb rentals.
The protestors made their voices heard under the slogan: “Canarias tiene un limite’, which in English translates as ‘The Canary Islands have a limit.’
On Wednesday morning the same words appeared painted in white on the tarmac of one of the access roads to Mount Teide.
Another message painted on the road said: ‘Moratoria turistica’ - ‘Tourist moratorium’ in English.’
The island council’s vice-president Lope Afonso described it as vandalism in an angry message on X, formerly Twitter, ahead of a botched clean-up which led to the graffiti being removed, although it remains visible.
Tenerife Island Council agreed with its vote Friday afternoon to “approve the tax from January 1st, 2025 for the provision of services in the protected natural areas of the island of Tenerife and to improve their conservation and protection, following the relevant studies.”
An eco tax where tourists pay extra on their hotel bill to stay in many destinations in Spain and other parts of Europe has been talked about for the Canaries but has been ruled out for the time being by regional president Fernando Clavijo.
Protests
Tenerife has been at the forefront of the protests linked to the type of mass tourism it attracts and six activists who belong to protest platform Canarias Se Agota are now on the 16th day of a hunger strike outside a church in the northern town of La Laguna.
On Tuesday, a leading Tenerife politician urged British and Irish tourists looking for cheap all-inclusive sunshine breaks to go elsewhere for their vacations.
Carlos Tarife, deputy mayor for the island capital Santa Cruz, said holidaymakers interested in staying in their hotels with their mandatory wristbands on should book places like the Dominican Republic instead.
Graffiti in English left on walls and benches in and around Palm Mar in southern Tenerife at the start of the month included ‘My misery your paradise’ and ‘Average salary in Canary Islands is €1,200.’
In an apparent backlash, a response left in English on a wall next to a ‘Tourists go home’ message said: “F##k off, we pay your wages.”
Canarias Se Agota, which was a lead organiser in last Saturday’s Canary Islands marches, has insisted it has nothing to do with the graffiti that has appeared in parts of Tenerife over recent weeks - and has accused regional politicians of blaming them of tourism-phobia as part of a ‘dirty tricks’ campaign.
They have made demands which include the paralysation of two tourist projects, including one which involves the construction of a five-star hotel by one of Tenerife’s last virgin beaches, a tourist moratorium and more affordable housing.
