Jorge Marichal, the president of Ashotel, the hotel employers’ association of the province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, raised concerns on Wednesday regarding calls received at one of the establishments he manages from foreign tourists asking about the safety of traveling to Tenerife.
In an interview with Cope Tenerife, as reported by EFE, Marichal expressed his worry that “we are playing with the modus vivendi of our society” by being prominently featured “on prime time television” and in British media with messages critical of tourism.
Marichal continued by remarking that this situation is exacerbated by “two gentlemen who think differently,” referring to groups calling for demonstrations in the Canary Islands on April 20 to demand a change in the current tourism model. He expressed respect for these groups but also wished to convey to them the potential consequences of their actions.
Putting himself in the shoes of British or German tourists, Marichal highlighted the impact of negative reports on their decision-making process. He emphasized the discomfort such tourists might feel if greeted at airports with messages indicating they are unwelcome.
Regarding activists threatening a hunger strike if the Canary Islands government does not suspend work on projects like the La Tejita hotel and the Cuna del Alma complex, Marichal criticized them as being “totally unfocused” and accused them of populism. He emphasized the legal rights of the project promoters, despite protests.
Marichal also addressed demands for a change in the tourism model, including calls for a tourist moratorium. He explained that there are actually fewer hotel and extra-hotel establishments compared to ten years ago, despite a 2% increase in beds. He attributed issues like traffic congestion and rising rents to the availability of 220,000 holiday home places during this period.
In conclusion, Marichal expressed regret over the confusion in messaging, stating that the focus should not be on being anti-tourism but on ensuring that infrastructure aligns with the evolving tourism model influenced by platforms like Airbnb.
