SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE 7th January (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Cabildo of Tenerife, via the Department of Natural Environment, Sustainability, Security and Emergencies, has authorised active tourism enterprises to conduct operations in Teide National Park during icy and snowy conditions.
This decision followed a meeting held on Tuesday between the councillor, Blanca Pérez; the insular director, Pedro Millán; and Yolanda Afonso, the vice president and person in charge of Activa Canarias on the island of Tenerife, alongside Tanausú Zumaquero, Antonio Hernández from the Management of the same company, and Josué González, a representative of AEGM (Spanish Association of Mountain Guides).
Blanca Pérez stated that this measure complements the recent agreement with the Tenerife Mountaineering Federation aimed at clarifying and facilitating access to the Teide peak for federated mountain athletes qualified to engage in their activities on terrain covered in snow and ice, according to a note from the corporation.
As for active tourism enterprises, they are required to fulfil a number of conditions: be legally recognised to operate within the national park and have guides with the necessary qualifications – specifically, a medium mountain sports technician or higher, or an equivalent professional accreditation – to traverse snowy landscape, equipped with the essential basic winter gear.
Additionally, they will be required to register with the Tenerife ON application.
Meanwhile, Pedro Millán, the insular director of Medio Natural, indicated that the aim of this agreement is to ensure that “active tourism companies accessing the Teide peak in winter conditions, with ice and snow, have qualified technicians to carry out this activity with the utmost safety.”
In this context, Millán added that there has been “complete agreement between the island administration and the active tourism enterprises that in addition to prioritising safety, they must collaborate to safeguard the natural values of Teide National Park.”