He RIU olive beach corralejo has obtained the Tourism Award Canary Islands 2023 for the international projection that it provides to the destination. The award comes amid the controversy that the regional government maintains with Madrid, reluctant to extend the concession that allows the establishment to remain in its location, next to the Corralejo dunes. In the other modality of the contest, Excellence in the Tourism Sector, was the winner Pedro Díaz, owner of Casa Rural Las Vigas, in Arico (Tenerife).
The candidacy of Oliva Beach, endorsed by the two provincial employers’ associations of the accommodation sector –FEHT and Ashotel– and the Tourist Federation of Lanzarote, had no rival, although there was the possibility that the prize would be declared void. It was not so. The previous regional Executive authorized the works for its renovation last may.
On the first day of this year, by virtue of what is dictated by the Statute of Autonomy of the Canary Islands approved in 2018, the Archipelago obtained powers in matters of Coasts. For this reason, he was able to give the green light to a property rehabilitation project that was presented in December 2017.
However, The Ministry for Ecological Transition opened a file on the expiration of the concession a year ago which allows the establishment to operate in the public domain, a circumstance that also affects the Tres Islas hotel, also owned by RIU. The Regional Ministry of Public Works, Housing and Mobility directed by Pablo Rodríguez is going to appear in said process, again to enforce the transfer of powers in matters of Coasts, that is, to point out that the Canary Islands is the only authorized voice.
With the theses of Madrid majoreros environmental groups agree, while the almost 400 Oliva Beach workers they mobilize before the threat of finding themselves on the street. This is a workforce whose average age is above 40 years. “It is always a great satisfaction to be recognized, but in this case it has a very special meaning for the magnificent group of professionals”, the CEOs of RIU, Carmen and Luis Riu, stated yesterday in a joint statement.
Carmen and Luis Riu celebrate the award, for which they consider the hotel staff responsible
And in the middle of all this fuss, the Government of the Canary Islands authorized the start of the remodeling. “We hope that in the coming months the Oliva Beach will begin the renovation works so that it can offer all the quality that this wonderful destination, our clients and our employees deserve,” said the top executives of the Balearic hotel chain.
FEHT, Ashotel and Lanzarote Tourist Federation highlighted in the supporting report of their proposal the contribution of OlivaBeach to the economic development of Fuerteventura since the 70s. The building was signed by the architect Fernando Higueras, also creator of the Hotel Las Salinas in the Lanzarote town of Teguise «and regular collaborator of the artist Cesar Manrique».
“These awards are a well-deserved recognition of a job well done and excellence,” said the tourism counselor and Employment of the Government of the Canary Islands, Jessica de León, in reference to both Oliva Beach and Casa Rural Las Vigas, located in Arico (Tenerife).
The owner of Las Vigas warns of the unequal struggle of the rural segment with the vacation rental
In the latter case, the supporting institution was the Chamber of Commerce of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. The award for Tourism Excellence rewarded the work carried out by Pedro David Díaz, a geographer from the University of La Laguna and university expert in Environment and Sustainable Development from the School of Industrial Organization of Seville, who decided to buy an old house and restore it to dedicate it to rural tourism.
It is Pedro and his wife who manage the property, where workshops are offered to disseminate local history and culture. In an interview for the Ashotel blog, Díaz touched on one of the big problems he faces to get his business off the ground. «Rural tourism is being diluted within the holiday and that is very worrying, but above all very sad, because no type of accommodation better shows the territory and its towns to the visitor than the rural one», he explained.
Awards
The awards They will be delivered on September 27 at the Adán Martín Auditorium in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. The intention of the counselor De León is to give greater prominence to the appointment in the coming years. Not only with the transformation of the current simple act into a gala that guarantees greater diffusion, but also with the implementation of a week – traveling around all the islands – fully dedicated to the accommodation sector with the aim of raising awareness among the local population; even with discussion forums with participants of the highest level.
Tourism is also preparing a modification of the decree that governs the awards for give entry to more categories. Among others, innovation, sustainability or social responsibility.
