The councillor of Tourism and Employment of the Government of the Canary Islands, Jessica de León (PP), declared yesterday during the Tourism Commission of the Parliament of the Canary Islands, that she endorses the decision made by the Cabildo of Tenerife to introduce an ecotax for access to the Masca ravine.
“I believe it is highly appropriate and necessary, as well as a model for what the seven councils of the Canary Islands should undertake to safeguard sites of interest and manage the carrying capacities of particularly sensitive areas,” she emphasised, when responding to a query from deputy Lucía Fuentes, of the PSOE parliamentary group.
The conservative councillor elaborated that her department has advocated since the onset of this mandate for the implementation of fees for services provided in all natural, heritage, and cultural sites that are impacted by tourist influx. “We consider it essential to manage resources and landscapes by regulating access, limiting visitor numbers, and establishing the necessary fees for providing tourist services,” she stated.
Moreover, she indicated that the revenue produced from this fee, set at 28 euros for an adult non-resident, will be allocated to safeguarding and enhancing the Masca ravine and will facilitate tracking of the destination as well as job creation in the area, particularly within the municipality of Buenavista.
Concerning the Masca ravine, the fee encompasses information provision, entry registration, and monitoring from the visitor centre to the pier or from the pier to the village. It also includes the support of surveillance personnel along the route, initial assistance in rescue scenarios through security and emergency resources, accident insurance if not already provided, and the provision of a protective helmet for visitors.
