Latest news with #CarmenPeña
Time Out
15-05-2025
- Time Out
Tenerife is introducing daily visitor caps and a new tourist tax
Spain has introduced various measures to clamp down on its overtourism problem recently, from two-year bans on new holiday lets in Alicante to the doubling of tourist taxes in Barcelona. The Canary Islands have arguably been most impacted by the negative effects of too many tourists. In the first quarter of 2025, a whopping 4.36 million international visitors made their way to the islands, prompting huge demonstrations this April to demand tighter regulations on tourism. According to Travel Tomorrow, banners read 'The Canaries Have A Limit'. Now, Tenerife – the most visited of the archipelago's islands – is introducing new measures to protect its natural environment from the impact of overtourism. One initiative is a daily cap on visitor numbers to Anaga Rural Park. The park, on the island's northern tip, brags dramatic mountains looming over the Atlantic Ocean, as well as black sand beaches, prehistoric forests and protected species such as the Laurel Pigeon. There are also 26 traditional villages within the park, which survive by ancestral agricultural methods – pretty fascinating, right? A motion was passed by the council to restrict access to the park, and in January, large coaches specifically were blocked from accessing certain areas. Carmen Peña, councillor for San Cristobal de la Laguna, has called on the island's governing body Cabildo de Tenerife to continue enforcing the motion, including introducing daily visitor caps. Elsewhere on the island, the Cabildo de Tenerife announced the launch of an online booking system for some of the trails in Teide National Park, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site and is home to Spain's highest peak. According to the Times, tourists visiting the peak – Teide – will now be charged an 'eco-tax', and security cameras are reportedly being installed to control the park's visitor numbers and monitor when areas are overcrowded. Environmental groups have said these measures are insufficient and have called for a significant reduction in the park's four million annual visitors. Spain's battle with overtourism Spain is set to become the most-visited destination in the world within the next 15 years, but the recent protests on the Canary Islands echo a resentment felt across the country.
Wales Online
13-05-2025
- Wales Online
Tenerife council approves plan to limit tourists with new 'daily cap'
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Get the latest Wales Online breaking news on WhatsApp In an effort to protect its natural environment, Tenerife has passed a motion aimed at restricting tourist access to part of the island. A plan advocating for a more sustainable tourism management model to address 'mounting environmental pressures' received strong support. The initiative is designed to protect the natural heritage of the northern side of Tenerife, specifically Anaga Rural Park, which is facing increasing strain from thousands of visitors who are drawn by its dramatic scenery and popular hiking trails. Read more: UK tourists in Tenerife to be charged new 'green tax' after over-tourism complaints Carmen Peña, the councillor behind the proposal, stressed the urgency of addressing the threat to the area's fragile ecosystems. As part of the motion, the council is urging the Cabildo of Tenerife to introduce a daily cap on visitor numbers. The proposal, which pays particular attention to stemming the flow of private vehicles, aims to 'safeguard the area's biodiversity while maintaining a balance between tourism, local life, and traditional land uses', reports local news site Canarian Weekly. Other areas of the Canary Islands are also looking at new measures to combat the negative effects of tourism on the natural environment. Holidaymakers visiting Teide National Park, one of Tenerife's main tourist attractions, will be charged a new 'green tax' from next year following complaints about 'over-tourism'. Locals and environmentalists have long complained about tourists parking their cars illegally, using unmarked trails, climbing fragile formations and taking volcanic rock as souvenirs. Other measures include installing security cameras and enforcing stricter traffic controls to limit the number of people who visit the park at any time. The Cabildo de Tenerife had already announced an online reservation system for certain, more advanced trails around the Unesco Heritage site in April.
The Independent
12-05-2025
- The Independent
Tenerife's natural reserve proposes limit on tourist numbers
A scenic nature reserve in Tenerife could be set to introduce limits on its visitor numbers in a bid to protect its natural heritage and fragile ecosystem. A local council in Tenerife has passed a motion aimed at restricting tourist access, particularly by private vehicles, to Anaga Rural Park, a highland of mountains in the northern region of the island. The park is a biosphere reserve that is home to a wealth of native species across its sharp peaks and deep valleys, from invertebrates to Canary Island spurges, as well as tiny settlements of people living off small-scale farming. The motion received broad backing across the council chamber, which advocates for a more sustainable tourism management model in the natural area, the Canarian Weekly reports. Carmen Peña, a councillor at the City Council of San Cristobal de la Laguna, was behind the proposal and has stressed that the matter is urgent, calling on local authorities to respond to environmental and conservational threats to the park brought on by tourist numbers. The council's motion is urging the Cabildo de Tenerife, the island's governing body, to introduce infrastructure that would establish a daily cap on visitor numbers, to help the park meet its conservation goals. The proposal says the main aim is to safeguard the biodiversity of the park, while also honouring local life, traditional land uses, while balancing this with tourist interest. Ms Peña said the park's policies for use and management already require the council to initiate measures to make sure the site is protected. The approved motion will now set the foundations for future regulations and changes to try and stop issues caused by large numbers of visitors. Regulation of visitors at Tenerife's other popular natural sites has already been introduced to lessen the blow from large swathes of tourists. In April, the Cabildo de Tenerife announced an online reservation system for certain, more advanced trails around the Unesco Heritage site of Teide National Park. The park features the Teide-Pico Viejo stratovolcano that, at 3,718m, is the highest peak in Spanish territory, making for a spectacular view of its volcanic landscape and towering height. Tourists to Tenerife will often visit this giant natural landmark, home to small creatures like the Tenerife lizard, which are unique to the area. The council opened access on foot to the trails leading to the peak of Teide National Park for mountain federations and authorised tourism professionals and companies that must meet a series of requirements, such as a permit and certain equipment. Access will be permitted to those registered in the Canary Islands Government's Tourism Registry under the headings of hiking, mountaineering, and/or trekking activities, with accredited guides with the necessary qualifications. The online reservation system has been set up 'to preserve the natural environment and control the influx of people.' Environmentalist groups in the Canary Islands have called out tourists for harming the protected terrain at Teide, after videos show visitors straying off the trail and climbing over the rock formations.
