Santa Cruz de Tenerife, 14 Apr. (Press Europa) –
Only 615 residents of the Canaries have remitted the ecotasa to access the Masca ravine in Buenavista del Norte so far this year, which accounts for 7.8% of the total 7,822 individuals, as indicated by official data from the Cabildo de Tenerife compiled by Drago Canarias.
The Ecotasa was implemented last July, with the aim of the Insular Corporation to control access to the ravine. According to records since October 2021, a total of 49,963 individuals visited the ravine, of which merely 3,545 were Canarian residents.
Drago Tenerife spokesperson, Carmen Peña, highlighted in a statement that “the same issue is occurring in Masca as in locations like Roque Nublo or Anaga, where the residents of the Canaries are increasingly avoiding these areas as they have become overcrowded and are tailored for tourists.” She added that “there is no better evidence of this than the statistics.”
In her view, “the residents of the Canaries no longer descend into the Masca ravine, partly because we are obliged to pay in our own territory.”
In this context, Peña pointed out that although Tenerife residents are exempt from the ecotasa, “the reality is that everything is so heavily oriented towards tourists that local residents no longer wish to visit the ravine.” She further elaborated that “the worst impact is shouldered by Canarian residents from other islands, who must pay four euros for the bus, three for entry, and 25 for returning by boat.” “For a family of four, we are discussing a total of 128 euros, which is sheer madness,” she remarked.
Peña expressed concern that the boat return “is both paid and obligatory, as ascending through the ravine is prohibited, which signifies a clear class discrimination against the Canarian populace, who are compelled to pay for traversing their natural spaces and cannot do so freely.”
In this regard, Peña underscored that it is “regrettable that the policies governing tourist access to natural areas have led to restricted and fee-based entry for the residents of the Canaries.”
Another inconsistency in the regulations established by the Cabildo de Tenerife, according to Peña, is “the prohibition of parking for those intending to undertake the Barranco excursion, while those simply visiting the town of Masca face no restrictions, despite being the ones truly contributing to road congestion.” She added that “the final straw is the lack of control over rental vehicles.”
Furthermore, Peña reminded that new control measures from the Cabildo de Tenerife will come into effect this Friday, which she described as “quick fixes addressing a much graver situation.” She concluded by asserting that until “brakes are applied on mass tourism and rental cars are regulated” while continuing to respect Canarian residents relative to visitors, “the situation will persist as is.”
The current ecotasa permits a maximum of 275 individuals daily to access the ravine, with Tenerife residents exempt from charges, Canarian residents being required to pay three euros, and tourists facing a fee of 28 euros—the boat fare is applicable separately.
