Thecaravan boom and camperized vehicles have made a different, cheaper form of tourism fashionable with more direct contact with nature, whether in the mountains or on the beach. Increasingly more people are opting for a more economical and authentic model than traditional ones such as apartments and hotels. This phenomenon, which emerged during the COVID pandemic lockdown, has also created a niche of economic opportunities. On the island, there is a growing number of mechanical workshops offering services to camperize vehicles, companies selling caravans, motorhomes, or camper vans, as well as those dedicated to renting these mobile homes.
Tenerife town councils are looking for spaces amidst the caravan surge / Irene Mederos
There is a major drawback: Tenerife is not ready to accommodate so much roof on wheels. It lacks spaces with the services demanded by this sector, and neither the planning regulations nor the ordinances of the administrations consider it. The situation concerns most of the island’s councils, especially those in the south, particularly after the recent crisis during Easter week. The problem, in reality, goes way back, even before the pandemic, when there were not as many caravans, yet they already faced enormous difficulties in finding accommodation. But now, it has returned to the headlines following the events of the last weekend of March in Arico.
Hundreds of motorhomes overwhelmed the coastal area of Arico, occupying even sidewalks, blocking the passage of residents, and leaving a trail of waste behind. This chaos during Easter was the final straw in Arico. At least that’s what two opposition parties, Coalición Canaria and Arico Somos Todos, denounced. Their complaints painted a grim picture: real settlements in parts of the Abades urbanization where residents felt “intimidated and coerced”; uncivil behavior from some caravaners, leaving waste everywhere and even excrement; uncontrolled discharge of blackwater…
The Arico municipal government extended the problem to the entire Tenerife coast, from the municipality of Arico itself to Guía de Isora. Arico’s mayor, Olivia Delgado (PSOE), stated in a press release: “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 problems in most municipalities, highlighting the lack of regulation and the shortage of suitable parking spaces.”
This surge in mobile tourism is compounded by another issue that adds even more pressure: the serious housing crisis on the island has led some residents – an increasing number – to live in caravans or camperized vehicles. There are even large plots occupied by caravans converted into permanent homes. The most notable case is on the coast of Adeje, in Puertito de Armeñime. In both its main nucleus, where a luxury urbanization called Cuna del Alma is planned, and in other surrounding areas, there are dozens of caravans turned into permanent homes – some even with their own fenced garden – that have been irregularly occupying space for years without any services.
Initially, the responsibility for regulating these vehicles lies with the municipal authorities. However, when viewed from an island perspective, officials such as the Arico mayor believe it is the responsibility of the Island Council. In fact, Olivia Delgado asked the island corporation to find a solution. “It is evident that municipalities cannot face this challenge alone, as it transcends local boundaries,” stated Delgado, adding: “Therefore, it is imperative for the Island Council to take up the plan that regulates this phenomenon, providing suitable spaces that minimise the impact on residential areas and are equipped with necessary infrastructure, such as systems to dispose of blackwater.”
The vice president of the Tenerife Island Council, Lope Afonso (PP), admits that regulating caravans and camperized vehicles is “a challenge” and they are exploring possible locations on the island to set up specific spaces. Lope Afonso acknowledges that “it is clear that camping and its enjoyment have been a growing activity in Tenerife for some time, to the extent of causing tensions in some coastal or rural areas.” The island government operates under the premise that regulating the parking spaces they can provide is “primarily a municipal responsibility,” as clarified by the vice president and former mayor of Puerto de la Cruz, before adding: “Nevertheless, we are working to provide solutions for the activity to be carried out in an organised manner.”
The chaotic weekend in Arico sparked the debate, which was also joined by the Tenerife PSOE. During a press conference last Friday, the president of the Socialist Group in the Island Council, Pedro Martin, recalled that when he led the island government in the previous term, they began developing a plan to create an island-wide network of parking lots.Caravans: A New Trend in Tenerife
Martin recalled that his team outlined a roadmap after gathering information from municipalities and caravan associations. “This network will create 350 parking spaces with services with an investment of €10 million,” remembered Pedro Martín.
The vehicles that most concern camper van associations are non-homologated camper cars. Under the trend of overnighting in the car in the middle of nature, many are opting for adapting their vehicles, which includes purchased and prefabricated or handmade structures. The problem arises when these vehicles are not equipped, for example, to store waste or when they park in prohibited areas.
There are not many alternatives either. It is estimated that in Canary Islands, there are 6,000 caravans or motorhomes, a number that is on the rise and does not include the camperization phenomenon. Moreover, there is no need to go to the mainland or abroad to buy them anymore. The offer in the Islands is increasing. Examples include Rent Camper, whose main headquarters is in Gran Canaria but has branches on other islands such as Tenerife. On May 11, they will showcase their full range at the Güímar Industrial Park. They sell new and second-hand caravans and camper vans, as well as offering rentals.
Juan Martín is the president of the Caravans and Campers Association of Tenerife (ACAT). He states that there are “too many” and the island is “not prepared for so many vehicles.” The phenomenon extends throughout the Spanish territory, where there are 160,000 registered caravans or motorhomes and 250,000 arrive each year from abroad. These vehicles have a kitchen, living room, bedroom, and bathroom inside. Their main needs consist of refilling their tanks with drinking water and treating the water from showers and the kitchen.
At the same time, Tenerife only has six regulated points for caravan parking that offer basic services. These are Camping Nauta (Arona), Camping Montaña Roja-El Médano (temporarily closed), El Sordo (in Tajao, Arico), and Punta del Hidalgo (La Laguna). Then there are areas with ecological points: Caravaning Club Chinec (Puerto de la Cruz) and Caravaning Club Tinerfe (Tajao, Arico). The president of ACAT Tenerife adds that some petrol stations have purification points. There are no more. They are not sufficient to accommodate the high demand and quickly fill up during the summer months or shorter holiday periods like Easter, Christmas, or weekends. Instead, they occupy open spaces such as Montaña Roja in Granadilla de Abona or the coast of Arico, causing a negative environmental impact.
Eight town halls consulted by EL DÍA acknowledge that they are seeking solutions to a situation that has been ongoing for some time but is increasingly urgent to resolve. Some of them advocate for promoting the plan initiated by Pedro Martín, like Adeje. These councils have had different experiences. Northern municipalities like La Orotava hardly feel the pressure of motorhomes, although they are aware of the growing popularity of this activity, while on the other hand, southern municipalities such as San Miguel de Abona highlight the misuse of these vehicles by some users in the natural environments where they park. Among the measures they propose is the purchase of land to create more parking spaces with services while waiting for an island ordinance to be drawn up by the Tenerife Island Council.
Tenerife town councils are looking for spaces in the face of the caravan boom / Irene Mederos
Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
[–>
The capital municipality has areas for motorhome parking, but not for camping. Parking is limited to Las Teresitas and the esplanade of Parque Marítimo. The City Council emphasizes that only parking is permitted. There have been no major issues in Santa Cruz except for some motorhomes that parked on the dirt road below the cemetery of Las Teresitas beach, where it is not allowed. The City Council had to notify the General Directorate of Coasts of the Spanish Government as it is an area under its responsibility. The city administration reminds that except in the two mentioned areas, a caravan, like any other vehicle, cannot be parked for more than a day.
La Laguna.
[–>
It has a campsite in Punta del Hidalgo with 78 plots and 63 spaces designated for motorhomes, possibly the best equipped on the island. This area is usually highly occupied, reaching 100% in the summer months. Regarding sanctions, the La Laguna City Council does not recall issuing fines related to improper parking of these vehicles. They have only received occasional complaints, especially in the Bajamar area, where the Council has acted due to excessive noise from some motorhomes. Cristina Ledesma, Councilor for Security, assures that these are “isolated cases.” The City Council continues to work on finding alternatives that allow harmonizing the use of motorhomes with the well-being of the citizens.
Adeje.
[–>
Despite being one of the tourism hubs in Tenerife, the planning and regulations of the Adeje City Council do not consider caravans or camper vehicles. The Councilor for Territorial Planning, Manuel Luis Méndez (PSOE), ensures that this is partly due to them being “outdated” rules. However, the Adeje government is working to fill this gap. “In the work towards the creation of a new General Urban Plan, efforts are being made to [translate to English]
Solutions for Motorhomes and Campervans in Tenerife
While solutions for these types of vehicles are being considered, their practice remains prohibited in Adeje», he explains.
The Adeje Government also supports the development of the island plan proposed by the socialist Pedro Martín during his previous term as president of the Council. They hope that the new island Government (CC-PP) led by Rosa Dávila (CC) will take it up and move it forward. “It is a matter of island scope that should be resolved by the Council. Pedro Martín already proposed a solution that in Adeje we believe should be completed, in coordination with the measures being considered by municipalities like ours,” Mendez emphasized. He is convinced that “opportunities must be offered to a sector that is increasingly booming.”
Granadilla de Abona.
El Médano is the most affected area in the municipality due to the pressure of motorhomes. For now, the measure taken is to regulate parking areas with signs that prioritize car parking. Among the problems faced by motorhomes and campervans are pollution, irregular occupation of parking spaces, and placing items such as chairs and tables outside, which is prohibited according to regulations.
Montaña Roja is the main black spot. Faced with the lack of space for these vehicles, the Granadilla Council has created an esplanade where numerous caravans have been placed. The proposal is to allocate land for caravans to be parked regularly with the minimum services they need. The municipal government does not have municipal land on the coast, so they will have to use private land. The Safety Councillor, Carmen Dolores, states that they are aware that “everyone has the right to enjoy our municipality but it should be done in a regulated manner and respecting the environment.”
Arona.
The Arona City Council is working on a new ordinance for the regulation and rotation of parking spaces, which will include these vehicles. The Government Group led by Fátima Lemes (PP) is exploring possible locations for the installation of one or more areas within its municipality for the specific parking of these vehicles.
San Miguel de Abona.
They have an ordinance and have enabled a camping area for holidays managed by the Association of Approved Motorhomes and Campers of the Canaries (ACAT). The increase in this activity is presenting a problem in this southern and more touristy municipality of Tenerife. Its mayor, Arturo González (CC), admits they have detected camping and caravans in many prohibited areas of the municipality, mainly causing waste problems. “There should already be an established area to avoid these incidents,” he concludes. This is what the San Miguel Council is working on.
Puerto de la Cruz.
In this municipality in the north of Tenerife, there is no regulation for caravans, like in most of Tenerife. The City Council has provided a space to the caravan association which uses an old football field as an exclusive parking area. Additionally, they have designated some spaces to organize parking, but the limited space of the municipality makes it unfeasible to create new parking lots.
The City Council of Puerto de la Cruz participated in the island plan initiated in the previous term by the Council under Pedro Martín to enable the new expansion of the sewage treatment plant, already planned, to be a discharge point for caravans, also awaiting the promised island regulation for this activity.
La Orotava.
There are hardly any points where camping or caravans are established in La Orotava. Nevertheless, the City Council, considering the scale of the phenomenon, wants to create a campsite. They are considering the surroundings of the Pinolere Ethnographic Park for this purpose. The motorhome collective spoke with the Councillor, Yurena Luis, to create new spaces. They consider it a different type of tourism in touch with natural spaces that can boost local commerce.
In the images, a concentration of caravan enthusiasts organized last Friday by the Association of Approved Motorhomes and Campers of Tenerife (ACAT) in San.
