The upcoming rate proposed by the Tenerife Cabildo for entry to natural and protected areas on the island is expected to mirror the model implemented in Lanzarote, with a potential 100% discount for residents of Tenerife.
President of the Cabildo of Tenerife, Rosa Dávila (CC), revealed on Wednesday that the proposal for the plenary session this Friday involves an “ecotax”. Meanwhile, Vice President Lope Afonso, of the PP, has dubbed it a “finalist tax” aimed at enhancing visitor experience and preserving natural spaces. The PP’s official stance opposes tourist taxes, but they did support charging for entry to natural areas in the Canary Islands Parliament.
Dávila confirmed that Tenerife’s initiative will proceed independently of the Canary Islands Government’s stance. The Tax Consortium is already evaluating the necessary structure for collecting entry fees for these spaces.
The natural spaces targeted for this rate include Teide National Park, Anaga Rural Park, and Teno Park. There’s a possibility of extending the list in the future.
Addressing concerns about the impact of a tax in Teide National Park, the island president mentioned sending a letter to the Secretary of State for the Environment to review and amend the National Parks Law of 2014 if necessary.
Dávila believes that with appropriate modifications, this proposal could pave the way for charging entry fees while addressing the unique challenges faced by each park.
No fixed prices have been decided yet as the plan is still under evaluation. Dávila emphasised that the focus is on enhancing visitor experience and safeguarding these spaces rather than generating additional revenue.
The Cabildo of Tenerife began contemplating a tourist tax in 2023 following an announcement by Vice President and Minister of Tourism, Lope Afonso. Similar intentions were expressed back then regarding charging for visits to the Teide National Park.
This initiative complements other efforts by the corporation, including an analysis of the capacity of protected areas in Tenerife. Recent measures involve the deployment of Canarian Police during Easter to monitor these locations.
Collaboration with the municipalities of La Laguna and Santa Cruz is underway to address mobility issues in Anaga, along with cooperation with Buenavista to enhance visitor experiences in Masca.
Dávila hopes that all political parties will support the motion presented by the island government group (CC and PP) during the upcoming plenary session to facilitate the legal and economic assessment for approving this “finalist rate”.
