In light of the social discussion that has emerged over the past year regarding tourismophobia, the ruling group (Alternativa Icodense-PSOE) in Icod de los Vinos deemed it necessary to commence the development of a strategic tourism plan. This document aims to facilitate the organised influx of visitors to the municipality.
Until now, the local council lacked such a tool, and consequently, there was no coherent tourism strategy in place; previous attempts had been made but never evolved into a formal plan.
In June, the public company Icodtesa, with specialised support from the consulting firm Innovaris SL, initiated the first step by conducting a diagnostic assessment to gather all relevant data concerning the municipality from a tourism standpoint and in coordination with various administrations.
The analysis confirmed that domestic tourism constitutes the largest segment, accounting for 44.39% of the total. “This predominance highlights the significance of national tourism, which remains the most substantial segment, driven by proximity and preference for national destinations among residents in Spain,” emphasised the Councillor for Tourism and the public company Icodtesa, Gerardo Rizo.
Following domestic tourists, German visitors represent 15.98% of the total visitor count, while British tourists account for 11.41%.
The second phase of the plan is currently underway and focuses on participation, aiming to ensure that local residents “are listened to,” as stated by the councillor.
This phase includes three components. The initial part is open to the public and involves completing a straightforward online questionnaire that has already been made available on the municipal corporate website icoddelosvinos.es, remaining open throughout this month. In this space, residents can indicate which types of tourism they believe should be promoted within the municipality (nature, trails, rural, sports, nautical, cultural, heritage, gastronomic, wine tourism, senior or others) and highlight the strengths and challenges it faces. “This will serve as a thermometer for gauging residents’ desires regarding tourism,” Rizo remarked.
Additionally, this phase encompasses interviews with representatives from the tourism, hotel, restaurant, and retail sectors, as well as collaborative sessions with associations and community groups.
In the third phase, planned for October, all contributions from the public will be compiled, along with the diagnosis and principles upon which the governing group intends to base the tourism strategy. “Essentially, it will involve promoting sustainable tourism, particularly linked to nature, historical heritage, culture, and gastronomy, as we cannot compete with other destinations on the Island, nor do we wish to,” the councillor explained.
“We are not advocating for mass tourism, as we are not equipped for it; rather, we are striving for a form of tourism that is sustainable and can coexist harmoniously with local residents,” he emphasised.
For this reason, plans for large hotel developments have been shelved in favour of restoring historic homes that have stood the test of time, transforming them into small, iconic hotels through private initiatives, thus enhancing the accommodation landscape in the municipality.
Rizo is unequivocal about Icod’s “strengths” in relation to tourism: the Parque del Drago, managed by Icodtesa, the Cueva del Viento, which is overseen by the Cabildo de Tenerife, and one significant attraction since the 1960s is San Marcos beach, a recovery project for which, drafted by the public company Gestur, is awaiting implementation.
He places particular emphasis on San Marcos beach, considering its rehabilitation as a “critical action” necessary to establish “that triangle of tourist appeal.”
The project has received approval from Costas; only the funding needs to be secured, as nearly two million has been allocated, but the target is six million, and “we are collaborating with various administrations to achieve this,” states Gerardo Rizo.
The councillor acknowledges that numerous initiatives are required to enhance visitor numbers to the City of the Drago, however, the primary focus will remain on a commitment to sustainable and nature-centric tourism.
In this regard, he also highlights the importance of having the PR TF42 trail, known as the ‘Icod events trail’, reinstated. It had been previously approved and included in the Tenerife Island Council’s Trail Network but was removed despite still having signage. “Currently, Icod de los Vinos lacks any approved trails, even though we possess one of the most significant forest areas on the Island,” Rizo emphasises.
