Lanzarote and Tenerife are set for a tourism “overhaul” with the European Union holiday hotspots launching a groundbreaking new approach to visitors. A new action plan will replace the old concept with one of “regenerative tourism”.
The announcement has been made by Canary Islands’ Minister of Tourism, Jessia de Leon. The plan focuses on three main points: a new regulatory framework, the transformation of tourist spaces, and a climate action strategy.
de León explained that regenerative tourism goes beyond sustainability. It aims to not only minimise the environmental footprint of visitors but also actively work to reverse it. “It’s about erasing or at least compensating for the footprint left by those who visit the Canary Islands,” she said.
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The framework includes includes incentives for upgrading hotels and public tourist spaces, staff training, and improved working conditions in the tourism sector. The second point focuses on redesigning public tourist areas in collaboration with the seven island councils (cabildos). Each cabildo will define strategic projects tailored to its territory’s unique needs.
The final point addresses climate change action, with a focus on aligning infrastructure strategies with climate objectives. Plans are underway to make El Hierro the first “net zero” island. “The goal is for tourism to improve the quality of life for Canary Islanders,” de León said.
De León announced that private sector initiatives on the island will aim to offset emissions locally, ensuring that the entire territory becomes carbon-neutral. The plan, spearheaded by Moisés Simancas, a geographer and tourism expert from the University of La Laguna, is expected to evolve in the coming weeks with additional details and measures.
But the plan has faced scepticism from opposition leaders, who advocate for an eco-tax on overnight stays to mitigate tourism’s impact. In response, de León argued that the Canary Islands’ economy relies heavily on the competitiveness of its tourism sector.
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