SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE 21 Oct. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The president of the Cabildo of Tenerife, Rosa Dávila, acknowledged this Monday that the social movement ‘The Canary Islands have a limit’ “has diminished in significance”, yet she also noted that the existing tourism model in the Canary Islands “is not” suitable for the future and emphasised the need to enhance efforts towards a framework of greater sustainability.
She provided her assessment of the demonstrations that took place this Sunday in various locations throughout the archipelago, stating that the marches occurred “normally” apart from some isolated incidents – one activist was taken into custody in Gran Canaria.
She remarked that the tourism development model of the last 50 years “transformed” the islands from being “an impoverished, rural, agrarian society that had to emigrate in search of opportunities”, but now we should aspire to a model that “results in an improved quality of life for residents.”
In this context, she underscored the initiative embarked upon by the Government of the Canary Islands, following the Conference of Presidents, to create a ‘road map’ addressing the demographic challenges facing the archipelago and the efforts made by the Cabildo to safeguard natural spaces. This began with the introduction of a fee in the Masca ravine and is anticipated to extend to Anaga and Teide.
Furthermore, she indicated that the Cabildo has also proposed, for example, restrictions on the purchase of housing by foreign citizens and stressed the importance of continuing to work on “having a model where tourism income leads to an enhancement in the quality of life of residents.”
With regard to major projects like the La Tejita hotel or the ‘Cuna del Alma’ tourist development, she classified them within municipal responsibilities – she refrained from commenting on the Motor Circuit – and has diligently defended the Cabildo’s commitment to regulating and enhancing access to natural spaces in just “14 months” of her term.
