Jorge Marichal, President of the hotel association in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Ashotel, revealed on Wednesday that one of his managed establishments has been receiving inquiries from international tourists questioning the safety of travelling to Tenerife.
Speaking to Cope Tenerife as cited by EFE, Marichal expressed concern that sensationalist messages portraying Tenerife negatively in British media are potentially jeopardising the societal norms of the region.
He noted the impact of certain groups calling for a change in the current tourism model in the Canary Islands, recognising their viewpoints but urging them to consider the consequences of their actions.
Marichal empathised with British and German tourists who may be deterred by recent reports, highlighting the importance of ensuring a welcoming atmosphere at airports rather than one that may make visitors feel unwelcome.
Regarding activists threatening hunger strikes over construction projects, Marichal dismissed their actions as misguided and accused them of populism, affirming the legitimacy of the projects in question.
He addressed demands for a tourism moratorium, pointing out that despite a 2% increase in beds, the number of hotel and non-hotel establishments has decreased over the past decade, attributing issues such as traffic congestion and rising rental prices to the increase in holiday home accommodations.
Marichal expressed sadness over the misinterpretation of messages, advocating for infrastructure adjustments to align with the evolving tourism landscape driven by platforms like Airbnb, rather than adopting an anti-tourism stance.
