Yesterday, the hotel and non-hotel employers association Ashotel reiterated its appeal to the Cabildo, urging them to show “bravery” in classifying Tenerife South airport as a sensitive area to address the lengthy queues of tourists, who sometimes wait up to an hour and a half, for taxis to transport them to their lodgings.
Jorge Marichal, the association’s president, stated that, “despite everyone’s goodwill, including that of the taxi drivers, we are still experiencing delays and the situation remains unresolved. We have no intention of jeopardising anyone’s employment; however, we wish to ensure that tourists visiting the Island receive a respectful service.” He went on to remind that eleven years ago, in April 2013, the municipal council approved a resolution to designate the airport as a sensitive area, a measure that has yet to be implemented. Furthermore, Marichal mentioned that there exists technology and tools that could regulate the influx of taxis to the airport during peak times, “thus we request that an agreement be reached now and a definitive solution be found, while ensuring everyone’s rights are preserved.”
Additionally, the vice president of Ashotel, Victoria López, emphasised the matter, highlighting the exhaustion among tourism operators and expressing frustration over the incomprehensible reasoning provided, warning that if a resolution is not achieved, despite regulations prohibiting hotels from using private vehicles for client pickups, they might have to explore alternative options.
In response, Eulalia García, the Minister of Mobility from the Tenerife Cabildo, stated that this issue is not one of a lack of courage, but rather that over the past year (the president announced the designation of the sensitive area in November 2023), essential studies have been conducted while collaborating closely with the city council and the taxi cooperative to find a resolution. She also affirmed that the approach the Cabildo is pursuing aligns with Ashotel’s proposal, which includes allowing taxis from outside the municipality to operate during periods of high demand.
Moreover, Jorge Marichal and Victoria López addressed the implications of Royal Decree 933/2021 regarding traveller registration, which has caused significant unrest within the hotel industry. Marichal asserted that “it is unreasonable to expect hotels to act as police stations in the fight against crime, the rationale provided by the Ministry of the Interior for this decree.” About 40 pieces of information are requested, “some of which Europe itself finds perplexing as to why such data is needed.”
