The Tenerife Island Council has announced that it has secured 5.9 million euros from the European Next Generation funds to finance two tourism sustainability projects. One project will focus on the Anaga Biosphere Reserve, while the other will cover the Isla Baja area and the Teno Rural Park.
According to Pedro Martín, the president of the Island Council, both plans encompass several strategic objectives aimed at offsetting the carbon footprint of the tourism sector, enhancing mobility, promoting digitization, gastronomy, biodiversity, and culture, improving roads and trails, as well as conducting research and analysis to redevelop and enhance the destination’s competitiveness.
Martín believes that by creating new tourism products that capitalize on the natural and cultural assets of the destination and developing key infrastructure, such as the island-wide bird watching network, which recently received its initial phase approval, sustainable tourism that respects the natural heritage of the region will be fostered.
Both projects are part of the Territorial Sustainability Plan of the Canary Islands and have been selected under the extraordinary call for 2022 within the framework of the European Recovery, Transformation, and Resilience Plan.
The plan for the Isla Baja area and the Teno Rural Park will receive funding of 2,881,397 euros. The objective is to enhance the profitability and competitiveness of this rural destination by strengthening small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and tourism professionals operating in the region, creating employment opportunities, redistributing tourism income, and preserving the natural and cultural resources of the area.
Key actions for this project include improving the trail network in the Teno Rural Park, installing bird watching facilities, renovating the old Teno Lighthouse into a visitor center, implementing photovoltaic panels and electric vehicle charging points, and promoting digitization in communication and visitor services through intelligent tourist signage.
Regarding the plan for the Anaga Biosphere Reserve, the investment will amount to 3,052,819 euros. This project involves adapting the Casa de los Zamoranos for use as a tourist office and interpretation center, modernizing the Cruz del Carmen Visitor Center, improving trails and paths in the Anaga Biosphere Reserve, and installing bird watching equipment.
Other notable initiatives include the development of a digitalization system for monitoring the impact of tourism, the creation of a sustainable mobility plan, and an environmental volunteer action plan to actively engage visitors and the local population in conserving the natural environment, cultural heritage, and supporting the local economy.
Both plans have a completion deadline of March 31, 2026, by which all the proposed actions must be implemented.
