The president of the AMTC expresses concern over the “criminalisation” of the industry due to the housing shortage and backs a tourist tax if it is “well directed”.
SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 15 January. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The president of the Association of Tourist Municipalities of the Canary Islands, José Miguel Rodríguez Fraga, praised the unity of the Canary Islands at Fitur this Wednesday, despite the presence of “ambiguous and perilous messages” in need of a debate characterised by “caution and composure”.
In remarks to the press during a meeting of the association, Rodríguez Fraga evaluated their activities for 2024 and the expectations for 2025, with Fitur “imminent.”
“We are all pleased to have established an institution, an entity, that aims to advance tourism based on what tourist towns represent,” he stated.
He further endorsed the Canarian strategy for Fitur, highlighting that the islands will present a “shared and distinctive stand”, which would yield “additional image value” as “all Canarian destinations” come together, fostering synergies and best practices within tourism development.
In this regard, Rodríguez urged for “support” of this message of unity, particularly at this juncture “where we are witnessing ambiguous and quite perilous messages.”
Moreover, he advocated for “a tourism that operates, that generates wealth,” amidst a backdrop of a model that is “capable of leading,” reconceptualised, but approached with “care” and “calm”.
When questioned about improvement measures, he indicated that the association is actively engaged with the significant challenges facing the islands, such as housing accessibility, where “it is incorrect” to claim that tourism is being “criminalised” as the cause of the housing shortage.
Regarding charges for visiting protected natural areas, he endorsed the association’s supportive stance, as well as the tourist tax, which he neither opposes nor supports but insists should be “well oriented” and “targeted” to benefit citizens.
“What we require is a robust housing strategy that accelerates procedures, creates land opportunities, and establishes serious policies concerning protected housing, enabling private initiatives to construct affordable dwellings, as well as public promotion,” asserted Rodríguez Fraga.
Reflecting on the association’s progress, he noted it has had “significant achievements,” including the introduction of a bill to the Parliament of the Canary Islands for defining tourist municipalities, which is currently under consideration.
“It will continue its path and we shall observe how it develops, but for us, it is a fundamental issue, almost a foundational matter,” he elucidated.
VACATION RENTAL “IS HERE TO STAY”
He elaborated that while municipalities are facing a funding dilemma and are often regarded as “the less fortunate” in this discussion, the primary aim of the project is not that, but rather to clarify “where we stand” in order to subsequently develop the activity more fully.
The president of the Association of Tourist Municipalities of the Canary Islands also highlighted the ongoing efforts regarding the regulations of vacation rental housing, an activity “that must be governed” but is nonetheless “here to stay.”
“The role of the municipalities, where tourist vacation rental arrangements will ultimately be set in place, must have established criteria, and we need to be involved,” he remarked.
Rodríguez Fraga introduced the new decarbonisation initiative, ‘Canary Green’, which is uniquely being developed across Spain, aimed at reaching an agreement to outline various strategies.
When asked about the draft vacation housing law, the association’s vice president, Onalia Bueno, noted that what has been agreed upon involves “a series of amendments” that the Canary Islands Government must “self-amend” according to the agreements made with the Fecam.
Additionally, Bueno confirmed that various municipalities have already approached the association regarding surface rights, to which the respective documentation has been forwarded to “commence work.”
