The proliferation of caravans and camper vans in natural areas of Tenerife, especially along the coast, is overflowing the Island’s municipalities, particularly the smaller ones with fewer resources for control. Crowding has increased in recent years, concentrating around periods like Easter and affecting even municipalities such as the capital, Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
An area of conflict this recent Easter in Tenerife was Arico, where hundreds of caravans have occupied public parking lots and natural areas overlooking the sea, leaving a trail of waste that the City Council could do little about.
Arico’s mayor, Olivia Delgado, urged the Cabildo de Tenerife on Monday to develop “a comprehensive island ordinance to regulate the phenomenon of caravaning”. “The challenges posed by this practice on the island must be addressed appropriately. This situation is causing significant environmental issues and disturbances to the population, not only in Arico but in all the municipalities in the south of the island. It is not just a problem in Arico or other municipalities; it is a problem for Tenerife,” stressed the Socialist mayor.
Caravan gatherings last week on the Arico coast. / E.D.
Olivia Delgado believes that “spaces equipped with basic services such as drinking water, electricity, and sanitary facilities at the island level should be provided to ensure a safe experience”. “In addition, the creation of designated areas for caravaning would help mitigate the negative impacts of parking in natural areas and residential zones; we want the activity to be carried out in a regulated, sustainable, and respectful manner,” she detailed.
Andrés Martínez, Delgado’s deputy in the municipal government, recalled that the Arico City Council supported the island plan for the creation of caravan areas by the Cabildo de Tenerife and the island ordinance “because we believe that common criteria should be established to regulate this phenomenon, contributing to environmental conservation and sustainable tourism development”.
The situation experienced this Easter has been the final straw in Arico. At least that’s what two opposition parties have denounced: Coalición Canaria and Arico Somos Todos.
Those reporting issues caused by caravans and camper vans describe a chaotic scene: uncivil behaviour, litter, occupation of sidewalks…
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Their complaints depict a nightmarish scene: streets blocked that have literally been closed to traffic due to the large concentration of caravans, some of them so large that they have invaded sidewalks, preventing people from passing through; actual settlements in parts of the Abades urbanization where residents have felt intimidated and coerced; uncivil behaviour from some caravaners, leaving trash everywhere and even excrement; uncontrolled discharge of black water into the sea…
The Arico City Council clarifies that they deployed a security operation last week, but opposition parties claim it fell very short and chaos and lack of control reigned in the caravan and camper van settlements.
Concentration of caravans on the Arico coast. / E.D.
Residents estimated that along the entire coast of Arico, from Porís de Abona to San Miguel de Tajao, there were gatherings of up to 300 caravans.
The local government in Arico extends the problem to the entire coast of Tenerife, especially the southern stretch, from the municipality of Arico itself to Guía de Isora. “The proliferation of caravans, motorhomes, and campers in recent years has raised concerns in Tenerife, especially in the south. This phenomenon, which has experienced exponential growth in recent years, is causing serious issues in most municipalities, highlighting the lack of regulation and the absence of appropriate parking spaces,” underscores the Arico mayor’s team in a statement.
The local government in Arico extends the problem to the entire coast of Tenerife, especially the southern stretch, from the municipality of Arico itself to Guía de Isora
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In the specific case of Arico, Olivia Delgado clarifies that “the absence of an ordinance regulating this situation has motivated the new municipal Government to work on the development of a municipal regulation that addresses this issue effectively”. “Having made significant progress in this regard, it is pending approval,” she pointed out.
The local Government of Arico accuses the Tenerife Island Council of “inaction”, which is why, it adds, “several municipalities are requesting the implementation of an island ordinance that regulates the phenomenon of caravaning throughout the island”.
“It is evident that municipalities cannot face this challenge alone, as it transcends local boundaries. Therefore, it is imperative that the Island Council resumes the island plan that regulates this phenomenon, providing appropriate spaces that minimize the impact in the residential areas of municipalities and are equipped with necessary infrastructures, such as systems for sewage evacuation,” Olivia Delgado requests.
This is not a new problem. It reappears every time there are concentrations like those in Arico during holiday periods. Back in 2019, the Hotel and Extrahotel Association of Tenerife, La Palma, La Gomera, and El Hierro (Ashotel) urged the public administrations to provide suitable areas and infrastructures for caravan parking, as well as to develop a clear regulation for the use of this holiday formula in the Canary Islands, which they consider equally valid as any other.
Concentration of caravans on the coast of Arico this Holy Week. / E.D.
The hotel association believes that all tourist activity should be regulated and currently, many of these vehicles are parked for long periods in car parks near the coast, taking up space for Canary, national, or foreign holidaymakers who come to the beach every day and cannot find a place to park their car.
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However, there has been no progress since this request from the hotel association five years ago. The problems recur from Easter and will return every time there is a long weekend or when the summer holidays arrive.
