The Association of Tourism Entrepreneurs of Fuerteventura (Asofuer), the Lanzarote Tourism Federation (FTL), the Hotel and Extra-Hotel Association of Tenerife, La Palma, La Gomera, and El Hierro (Ashotel), along with the Federation of Hotel and Tourism Entrepreneurs of Las Palmas (FEHT), have expressed their disappointment regarding the Canary Islands Government’s need to return “almost seven million euros” allocated in the previous legislative period for the refurbishment of tourism infrastructure due to non-execution within the stipulated timeframe.
These associations emphasize that tourism infrastructure serves not only visitors but also the residents of the Canary Islands, who have an equal right to enjoy them since they are funded by public budgets financed through taxes.
In a collective statement, they voice their concerns about such developments, stating that “from the private sector, tourism entrepreneurs are making significant efforts to maintain our facilities at an optimal level, which positively impacts the destination’s improvement, and yet our representatives and administrations fail to fulfill their duty to execute the allocated funds for the rehabilitation of public tourist spaces due to management delays.” These organizations call upon the regional government, particularly the new leadership at the helm of the Regional Ministry of Tourism, to exert the utmost effort in improving their management.
They stress the need to enhance the regional budget for 2024 in the context of public infrastructures. They question the value of having top-notch hotels if tourists go outside and find that the spaces and facilities they visit are not at the same level.
On previous occasions, Canary Islands’ tourism employer associations have highlighted that the budget assigned to tourism and, specifically, to public infrastructures is “minuscule compared to what the sector generates.” In the 2023 budgets, they noted that 125 million euros were allocated, with 23 million designated for the Tourism Infrastructure Plan. Despite recent growth, these amounts still appear inadequate when contrasted with the approximately 2,700 million euros that the regional public treasury receives annually from taxes generated by tourism, the primary driving force of the Canary Islands’ economy.
