The rural tourism subsector in the Canary Islands, made up of around 800 traditional houses with a capacity of more than 4,000 beds—mostly in Tenerife, La Palma, and Gran Canaria—is sounding the alarm once again. Its representatives say they have been fighting for years against an increasingly hostile environment, citing the “massive growth” of vacation rentals in mid-altitude villages and, in many cases, on rustic land, where such use is not legally permitted.
Waiting for Political Responses
Hopes now rest on several fronts. First, on the study commissioned by the Canary Islands Government’s Department of Tourism, whose results are expected at the end of this year or early 2026. Second, on the approval of the new vacation rental law being debated in the Canary Islands Parliament. And above all, on the Rental Registration Number (NRA), a code issued nationally by property registrars that is required for any accommodation to be listed on vacation rental platforms. Rural accommodations, however, are exempt from this requirement due to their special status.
What the sector does not expect much from is the action of local councils. According to Pedro David Díaz Rodríguez, president of the Tenerife Rural Tourism Association (Tenatur) and member of Acantur, the Canary Islands Rural Tourism Association, local authorities are guilty of “passivity.”
“Municipalities hold the powers in urban planning, land use, and urban discipline. They must inspect, report, and, if necessary, close holiday rentals on rural land that fall outside planning rules. It’s time to put an end to the nonsense of building on this valuable land.”
What the Law Says
As Díaz explains, rustic land in the Canary Islands is intended for agriculture, livestock, and environmental protection. Tourist use is only permitted when there is a pre-existing historic building that is part of the Canary Islands’ cultural heritage. In such cases, tourist use is tied to the restoration and preservation of the building—this is the true definition of rural tourism.
“Everything else is a substitute, a white label. It is not rural tourism, nor anything like it.”
A Cry for Help
The owners of rural accommodations say that time is running out. Without decisive measures, they warn, the subsector’s very survival is in question. They are not asking for privileges, they insist, but for recognition of their heritage and identity value, including:
- Financial aid for maintaining historic houses,
- Stronger protection measures for rural areas,
- Urban planning discipline to enforce the law,
- Political commitment at the highest level,
- And technical training in municipal offices to handle cases properly.
A Different Model of Tourism
For Díaz, it is unthinkable that the Canary Islands, one of Europe’s top destinations, could exist without rural tourism. Unlike mass tourism, rural tourism offers an alternative: authentic experiences in restored historic houses, set in open landscapes, linked to communities and traditions.
“We are not against modernity. What we defend is the recovery of landscapes and the proposal to ‘ruralize tourism’,” he explains.
This, he argues, requires rural tourism to return to its roots—its ties with the land, the people, and local heritage—while also renewing itself through stronger associations and innovative approaches.
“We must stop dwelling on nostalgia and sadness. Rural houses are powerful custodians of Canarian identity. They are not in competition with mass vacation rentals; they are their opposite.”
