In a recent meeting, Jéssica de León, the Councillor for Tourism and Employment for the Canary Islands, sat down with Rosa Dávila, the President of the Island Council of Tenerife, and Lope Afonso, the Vice-President and Island Councillor for Tourism. The discussion centred around tourism infrastructure and promotional strategies.
De León affirmed the regional government’s strong commitment to ongoing projects in Tenerife, stating that “more than 32 million euros have been allocated for the period between 2021 and 2025 through the Tourism Sustainability Plans in Destinations (PSTD). These funds are sourced from the European Next Generation initiative as well as cohesion actions between destinations.”
The Councillor also highlighted the encouraging statistics from Tenerife’s tourism sector. In the first half of 2023, tourist arrivals rose by 12.1% compared to the same period in 2022, and by 6.8% compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019. She also noted that Tenerife had seen the highest growth in accommodation capacity this summer, boasting 218,636 beds, a 5.1% increase over the previous year.
Regarding the upcoming winter season, de León projected a 10.9% increase in available air seats. She said that the British and German markets would experience the most significant growth, adding 104,000 and 74,000 seats, respectively. Moreover, connectivity with Nordic and Eastern European countries, including Germany, Ireland, Poland, and Belgium, will also be extended.
Rosa Dávila, President of the Island Council of Tenerife, expressed her gratitude for de León’s visit and emphasized the need for future planning. She said, “We must establish future-oriented workstreams, such as inking agreements and infrastructure development, all while ensuring sustainability.”
Dávila also stressed the importance of maintaining high-quality strategic infrastructures, specifically mentioning Tenerife South Airport. “It’s crucial for us to focus on developing a top-quality new airport for a premier destination like Tenerife,” she added.
Finally, Dávila mentioned the importance of revitalising areas that have become outdated and in need of renovation.
