Marichal calls for “respectful treatment” for visitors and acknowledges that the airport needs “immediate” attention.
SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, December 19 (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Hotel and Non-Hotel Association of Tenerife, La Palma, La Gomera, and El Hierro, Ashotel, has urged the Cabildo of Tenerife this Thursday to show “boldness” in effectively declaring a sensitive area for Tenerife South airport, which would facilitate the resolution of bottlenecks in passport control and taxi services.
This airport, ranking seventh in the AENA network by operation volume, has waited many years for a fair investment that would elevate it to the standard expected of a premier destination like Tenerife.
This was asserted by Jorge Marichal and Victoria López, president and vice president of Ashotel, during a press conference where they discussed this matter and other pertinent tourism issues.
Victoria López conveyed the weariness of the hotel operators, who have grown increasingly alarmed by the frequent collapse situations.
“We are exhausted from continually asking for measures against the immense queues that form during peak times at passport control and the ensuing taxi area. This is an issue not only for the tourists visiting us but also for the residents who rely on this essential infrastructure for the islands’ connections,” she stated.
In addition, Marichal highlighted another concern regarding the taxi service.
“We want respectful treatment for the travellers and tourists who come to us,” he added, emphasising that the sensitive area for TFS had already been approved in the BOC in 2013.
“We do not wish to displace anyone from their job; rather, we want there to be available services whenever required, particularly during peak times. As it stands, we are not contributing to the destination or its sustainability, nor to mobility,” he remarked, referring to the fact that currently only taxis with a municipal license from Granadilla de Abona are permitted to pick up passengers at the terminal.
In this context, López expressed feeling “ashamed” when explaining to her clients waiting for a taxi that they cannot use the ones they see passing by with the green lights as they are unable to provide service.
“I urge our politicians to act decisively to declare the sensitive area now,” insisted the vice president of Ashotel.
Marichal, in turn, expressed his awareness of the intentions of the Cabildo president, Rosa Dávila, who recently stated that this declaration will be implemented but reminded that “the plenary of the island corporation approved regulations for declaring Sensitive Areas for Tenerife airports back in April 2013, and nothing has occurred in over a decade.”
The president also highlighted that these shortcomings are exacerbated by the persistent lack of state investment in Tenerife South.
In May 2022, Aena and the Tenerife Cabildo announced during a meeting with economic and social representatives on the island the allocation of 8 million euros for the refurbishment of a terminal that remains practically unchanged from its original construction in 1978, failing to meet current demands or the volume of operations and passengers it accommodates annually.
However, Marichal pointed out that Tenerife South, “a highly profitable airport,” was excluded from the Airport Regulation Document (DORA II 2022-2026), despite persistent demands from public institutions and business organisations.
“Tenerife South requires urgent investment; call the document whatever you want—DORA II, DORA III—it matters not, we need investment now,” he asserted.
CONTROVERSIAL TRAVEL REGISTRATION
Concerning Royal Decree 933/2021 on traveller registration, which has caused considerable unrest in the hotel sector, Marichal stressed that “it is incomprehensible that to combat crime, which is the reason cited by the Ministry of the Interior for this decree,” hotels should transform into “police stations.”
There are approximately 40 pieces of information mandated by the Royal Decree, “some of which even Europe does not understand as necessary,” he noted, emphasising that while Germany will cease requesting DNI from January 1, Spain requires “42 data points.”
Marichal reminded that both CEHAT and its affiliated organisations, including Ashotel, have submitted objections to the ministerial order that intends to simplify the decree. “Let’s hope they heed our concerns,” he remarked.
In this regard, Victoria López identified an additional hurdle: the challenges at receptions when entering data, many of which include characters from diverse languages that the SES Hospedaje platform does not recognise.
EMPLOYMENT AND CHRISTMAS HOTEL RESERVATIONS
Among the key points discussed, López referred to job creation within the hotel industry in Tenerife province, which has seen a 6% increase over the past year according to Social Security affiliation data, resulting in 33,700 people employed in the sector.
These positive statistics reflect the favourable occupancy rates expected for this Christmas, with average reservation levels already reaching 86% among the establishments associated with the regional hotel employers’ association, a jump of three percentage points over the same period last year.
