Tax no, fees yes. The Minister of Tourism for the Canarian Government, Jéssica de León, clarified her stance this morning regarding the ongoing discussion about imposing taxes on overnight stays in the islands. This matter has resurfaced following the suggestion made this week by CC Tenerife, the local and regional governmental partner, to introduce a levy on tourists’ overnight accommodations. Initially, this proposal has not won over the conservative factions. “We have consistently advocated for an ecotax, but not a tax that is imposed,” De León emphasised during an event with representatives from the island councils for the signing of the Tourist Infrastructure Framework Agreement in the Canary Islands. De León articulated that the “tax” approach favoured by the nationalists cannot be “designated for specific purposes”. To substantiate her point, she referenced the waste tax, from which hundreds of millions of euros are accrued, yet the Ministry of Ecological Transition “does not allocate a single euro towards enhancing waste management in the Canary Islands.”
