The first tourist levy on the island will be implemented starting this summer in Masca, in the Teno Rural Park. One of the main measures demanded by Canary Islands has a limit, will become a reality as a pilot project in Buenavista del Norte. The aim is to set a precedent for the ecotax, which from January 1, 2025, will be extended to the main protected natural areas of Tenerife.
The measure approved by the Island Government through a collaboration agreement between the Island Council and the Buenavista del Norte City Council has a key innovation: the reopening of the pier through which access or exit from the ravine is made. The area has been closed since 2018 and will now be essential for controlling the safety of the tourism, environmental, and sports activities in the surroundings. Not only through traffic control of round trips but also by eliminating the current need to climb the ravine, which often leads to multiple accidents and rescues.
Access to the area will be limited to 275 people per day, totaling 100,000 annually. The exact cost of access is unknown because the Tenerife Island Council is still working on analysing the economic impact of this measure. Visitors can come independently or through active tourism companies.
The tourist levy will only be charged to non-residents of the island. Rosa Dávila stated that the public company Tragsa will be in charge of collecting the fees for the visit.
Another major innovation of this pilot test is the implementation of a bus service that will regulate access and traffic in the village of Masca.
Initiatives for its improvement
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Among the initiatives to be carried out to improve Masca, the enhancement of security and service improvements stand out, tasks that will be covered with the revenues from the ecotax. The expanded schedule of environmental monitors will run from 8:00 to 20:00 in the summer. The next step is the development of a specific Fiscal Ordinance that will regulate everything related to this new initiative in the legal-administrative realm.
The adaptation of the pier has involved a construction project valued at €1.6 million. A breakwater of 46 concrete blocks and a boarding platform have been erected. In the entrance, anchoring of kayaks, canoes, and four boats will be allowed.
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Aerial image of the new Masca pier, in the Teno Rural Park, Buenavista del Norte municipality. / El Día
Other areas
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Anaga and the Teide National Park are two protected enclaves where the ecotax is also expected to be applied. To implement this, we will have to wait until the beginning of 2025. The objective, beyond economic benefit, is to limit mass access to the particularly sensitive natural spaces.
