The first tourist tax on the island will be enforced in Masca this upcoming summer. The ravine and the pier integrated into the Teno Rural Park will be the setting for the pilot test that will precede the ecotax, which starting on January 1, 2025, will be extended to the main protected natural areas of Tenerife. This was approved by the island’s Government Council through a collaboration agreement between the Island Council and the Buenavista del Norte City Council for the management of the cove’s pier. Additionally, the capacity in this fragile environment is limited to 275 people daily, and it is estimated that 100,000 people will visit annually.
This inter-administrative agreement includes the improvement of services and the increase in security in an environmentally sensitive area. It envisages the opening of a pier that is key in regulating visits to the Masca ravine, as it allows for a sea exit without having to retrace the challenging path that has led to numerous accidents and rescues.
Trailblazing Initiative
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The president of the Island Council, Rosa Dávila, emphasizes that “the Masca ravine will be the first protected natural area where we will apply the ecotax.” She values that with this infrastructure “not only will the flow of people on round trips be alleviated, but, above all, and most importantly, accidents that lead to a significant number of rescues and evacuations of those who are not able to return to the settlement of Masca will be reduced. One of the main measures demanded during the demonstration on the 20th of April throughout Canarias will become a reality this summer with the ecotax in Tenerife for non-resident tourists. A pilot project but a first step. The agreement also involves the Port Authority in managing the cove’s pier. The island council and the northern town hall also agree on the new schedule for environmental monitors, which in summer will extend from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
The agreement will also result in the reopening of the pier through which access to or exiting from the ravine is made, which has been closed since 2018 and will reopen for public use this summer. Up to four vessels as well as kayaks and canoes will be allowed to anchor at the mouth. Visits can be made through active tourism companies or independently with the mentioned restriction of 275 people per day, a limitation that will be complemented by a bus service to alleviate access and traffic issues caused by public companies like Tragsa.
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The pier is crucial for covering the safety of the tourist, environmental, and sports activities in the area, and its opening will not only help control the traffic on round trips but will also eliminate the current need to ascend the ravine to return.
The Tenerife Island Council is working on analysing the economic impact of this measure, and therefore, the exact cost of access has not been determined yet, but the tax will include both the ravine trek and the use of the pier. The next step is the drafting of a specific Tax Ordinance that will regulate everything related to this new initiative in the legal-administrative scope.
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The Tenerife Island Council was recently awarded by the Santa Cruz de Tenerife Demarcation of the College of Civil Engineers, Channels, and Ports with the Agustín de Betancourt prize for the works on the Masca pier.
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The Masca pier consists of a breakwater made up of 46 concrete blocks, along with a gangway and embarkation platform, which can also be used as a heliport. The construction replaced the old pier in the area with the aim of improving safety. The new pier completes the perfect excursion to one of the most beautiful places in Tenerife: the settlement of Masca in the Teno Rural Park.
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