In a recent session of the Tenerife Council, political groups from the Canarian Coalition (CC), People's Party (PP), and Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) reached a consensus, with Vox abstaining, to approve a new tax that will be implemented starting January 1, 2025. This tax will be aimed at providing services in the protected natural areas of the island, with the goal of improving their conservation and protection. This agreement stems from an initial motion by CC and PP, which was subsequently amended by the socialists to specify an implementation date.
The new levy will also seek to promote more sustainable management of these valuable environments, in addition to establishing access control and quantitative limitations based on each area's carrying capacity. This move is part of a broader effort by local authorities to preserve the natural wealth of Tenerife while balancing the needs of its tourism industry.
Pedro Martín, the president of the Socialist Group in the Council, criticized the government group's attitude towards a previous socialist proposal that sought to implement an ecotax on overnight stays for non-residents. Martín characterized the government's maneuvers to avoid a serious debate on his motion, which was withdrawn after a total amendment presented by the same government, as "tricks."
Access to El Teide and other natural areas of Tenerife will be paid
On the other hand, Martín defended the viability and fairness of imposing an overnight stay tax, arguing that it would not harm the island's tourist appeal. Contrasting with the proposal by the president of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo, to increase the IGIC on overnight stays, Martín maintains that his proposal would have a lesser impact on inflation.
Aarón Afonso, spokesperson for the Socialist Group, highlighted the importance of tourism as the economic engine of Tenerife, acknowledging that although it has significantly contributed to the local economy, it is crucial to reassess how revenues and the environmental impact it generates are managed. According to Afonso, establishing a specific tax on non-resident overnight stays could help better manage these challenges.
However, Lope Afonso, vice president of the Council and tourism counselor, questioned the consistency and sincerity behind the PSOE's ecotax proposal, suggesting that it seems more like a political strategy to appease certain sectors of the electorate. He emphasized that despite including the ecotax in the 2019 electoral programs, the socialists had not taken concrete steps until now.
José Miguel Ruano, spokesperson for the Nationalist Group, expressed skepticism about the effectiveness of the ecotax in solving the island's structural problems. Ruano sees the recent conference of council presidents as an opportunity to discuss and define a more effective and equitable model that improves the quality of life in Tenerife without compromising its development. He criticized the proposal as an excessive simplification and a political gesture without real substance.
This debate over the ecotax and the new specific tax reflects the complexity of managing natural resources in a context of increasing demographic and tourist pressure. The decisions made in the coming years will be crucial in ensuring that Tenerife can continue to offer both a well-preserved natural environment and a thriving tourism economy.
