The Confederation of Entrepreneurs of the South of Tenerife (CEST) has prepared a report that includes eight measures that they consider important to achieve the development of the island and, especially, of its southern area. The document, according to the organization, “is the result of months of work” and “numerous meetings with the permanent search for the necessary consensus” that Tenerife society “needs”.
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CEST has also thanked the municipalities of the south of the island (Adeje, Arico, Arona, Fasnia, Granadilla de Abona, Guía de Isora, San Miguel de Abona, Santiago del Teide and Vilaflor) for their collaboration in preparing the document and for having transferred “the particularities of each municipality”.
The organization highlights the significant population growth that this part of the island has experienced, which is almost “a new metropolis”, but points out that the administrations “have benefited from the income generated by the economic muscle” of the region, “but it has not corresponded in the infrastructure investment that such energetic growth requires”.
According to the figures provided by CEST citing data from ISTAC, between 2000-2019 Adeje had a relative growth of its population of 241%, San Miguel de Abona 185%, Granadilla de Abona 147% and Arona 111%. However, recalls the business organization, there are great deficiencies in education, health and high levels of poverty. This, he laments, is a “terrible contradiction”: the “reality of poverty in the face of our condition as a world tourist power”. This circumstance “forces us to rethink how we are going to face our future” and “initiate urgent action with an immediate consensus of all political and social forces,” he explains.
As a result of this consensus, according to CEST, the eight proposals of the organization were born, with the aim of “contributing to the progress of Tenerife”. These are points that the organization considers fundamental and that must be accompanied by “administrative agility” because, in its opinion, the “tortuous processing of projects, the constant and repetitive debate about their implementation has caused the delay of Tenerife and, as a consequence, its impoverishment”.
The eight points are infrastructures, the blue economy, training, improving the environment, waste and the circular economy, regulations and taxation, safety, and leisure.
In the first section, that of the infrastructures, CEST affirms that, despite the growth of the southern region, these have become obsolete and have collapsed. Among those needed, the organization cites a link between the TF-1 and Guaza to ease traffic, facilities for athletes who choose the island to train, a bike lane between Fasnia and El Médano, and modernizing Tenerife Sur Airport and building a corporate terminal and a repair hangar.
Also, finish the works of the port of Granadilla, expand the fishing, sports and cruise ship docking uses in the port of Los Cristianos, expand the nautical offer and open new ports and “avoid discussing a project for 25 years”, in reference to the port of Fonsalía, which aims to be located in the heart of the Special Marine Protection Zone in the Teno-Rasca Strip, where the only Whale Sanctuary in the entire European Union is located.
It also calls CEST to solve the problems of discharges and water treatment. The organization advocates implementing water desalination to supply coastal areas and release aquifers for the midlands and their inhabitants, and proposes the construction of a desalination plant in Fasnia.
The organization criticizes the constant debate regarding the train or the tram, which reduces the “credibility” of the institutions, and encourages the implementation of public transport by improving the bus service and the Los Cristianos interchange.
They also claim to bury the high voltage route that runs alongside the TF-1 and solve problems such as those that caused the zero energy on the island in 2020.
On the other hand, these entrepreneurs also consider the Motor Circuit to be a generator of business and jobs, so they encourage the administrations to achieve the project.
Finally, in the infrastructure section, CEST considers it necessary to build a fire station to serve that part of the island.
More beaches and recover the plan for puddles
Regarding the blue economy, CEST demands “the improvement of bathing areas and promenades for the use and enjoyment of clients and residents”, as well as the construction of piers in Masca and Teno; the adaptation of anchoring areas with permanent buoys; and the execution of projected beaches such as San Blas in San Miguel de Abona, Los Tarajales, Las Salinas, and authorizing improvement projects in Camisón in Arona, Fañabé beach and Veril/Duque Norte.
It also calls for the identification and use of marine sand deposits for the recharge and regeneration of existing beaches; build a breakwater at Las Eras; expand the bay of Los Roques, with the demolition of the pools and make a new beach; recover the tidal puddle plan of the Government of the Canary Islands (which was paralyzed due to the great social protest it garnered), and update the regulations regarding whale watching and the ZEC in the Teno-Rasca strip.
Regarding training, CEST asks to finish the infrastructures in execution such as the Integrated Center for Professional Training of Adeje or the IES of Parque de la Reina; a training center for the nautical sector and active tourism; expand the educational offer in the south, a new school in Abades and an institute in Arona.
Regarding point 4, the organization will regenerate the Montaña Roja nature reserve, review the limits of the Malpaís de Rasca natural area, as well as finish and put the Camino Real del Sur into operation within the Network of Insular Trails and offer another alternative tour.
Regarding the draft Plan for the Use and Management of the Teide National Park, currently on public display, CEST considers that it must have the consensus of all operators, especially those in the tourism sector.
In the fifth point, waste, CEST considers “urgent to continue evolving the waste management model on the island and focus it towards the circular economy. Tenerife cannot afford to continue burying close to 600,000 tons of waste each year”.
Changes in taxation
Regarding this point, the business organization calls for a “comprehensive and detailed” regulation of vacation rentals, a review of the Beach Safety Decree; and a normative simplification so that it is “definitive impulse of the previous communication to generalize it as a qualifying title for the construction of houses and reforms in tourist buildings, instead of licenses.
It also proposes the opening of an IGIC refund office at Tenerife Sur Airport, the establishment of clear and objective criteria for the declaration of Tourist Municipalities and Municipalities of Tourist Interest, and, finally, the revision of the Government Restoration decree of the Canary Islands, to exclude the IGIC from the prices of the products and services of the price list.
Regarding security, CEST proposes five measures:
- Address the request for human and material reinforcements from the Civil Guard so that they can more immediately and effectively attend to security on the coast of San Miguel, Granadilla and Arona.
- Annual informative sessions on the Prevention of Criminal Acts in Tenerife Sur.
- Greater control of street vending.
- Control and inspection of illegal excursion sales points.
- The start-up of the Tourist Attention Service (SATE).
Finally, the eighth point, related to leisure, CEST considers that the legislation and regulations relating to this sector must be updated, and “given its importance”, proposes the creation of a General Directorate of Leisure and Hospitality, specialized in dealing with the problems and needs of it.
