Businesses support tourism on Tenerife and the other Canary Islands by signing a manifesto stating that tourism is the archipelago’s key economic driver.
A coalition of twelve entities and business associations, representing around 67,000 businesses across the Canary Islands, has signed the Manifesto in defense of the tourism industry. The document highlights the connectivity of the tourism sector, which spans various domains such as hospitality, transport, trade, agriculture, culture, and other services. Tourism generates 35% of the total wealth and creates 40% of all employment on the Canary Islands.
A Call for Sustainable Tourism
The manifesto, supported by organizations including Ashotel, the Chamber of Commerce of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, CEST, Fauca, Excelsia Canarias, AERO, Foro por el Progreso de Tenerife, Apeca, Aoente, Astracan, Fedetax, and other major organizations, recognizes tourism as the main economic engine of the islands. At the same time, the signatories emphasize their commitment to sustainable and regenerative development in the sector, with a focus on preserving natural and cultural riches.
The Need for Public-Private Cooperation
The manifesto calls for inclusive collaboration between all involved parties, with a special emphasis on public-private cooperation. It advocates for the development of infrastructures that align with the strong demographic growth of recent decades. It also proposes measures to promote sustainable mobility and address unauthorized and illegal practices.
Tourism: Part of the Solution
The signatories acknowledge that the growth of tourism on the islands has contributed to challenges such as unprecedented population growth, infrastructure shortages, and pressure on natural resources. At the same time, they point out that tourism is often unfairly seen as the cause of these issues. This is a simplistic view of a complex reality. The manifesto emphasizes that tourism can, in fact, contribute to solutions for many of these challenges.
Tourism as a Driver of Change
The document reminds that the tourism sector has played a key role in transforming the Canary Islands over the past few decades, from a region with high emigration rates to a model of progress and well-being. The signatories see sustainable tourism as essential for continuing to invest in economic diversification and environmentally-friendly solutions.
With concrete measures integrating sustainability into their operations, the signatories are working towards a future where the impact on the environment and resource consumption is minimal.
A Crucial Economic Pillar
The tourism sector is directly responsible for 40% of employment on the islands, providing jobs for a wide range of professionals. With an annual contribution of more than 20 billion euros to the economy (with estimates for 2024 around 22 billion euros), tourism far exceeds the contributions of other sectors. The manifesto also highlights the indirect benefits to sectors such as transport, culture, and agriculture.
Additionally, the sector contributes over 3.4 billion euros annually in tax revenues, which can be used for conservation, economic diversification, and the improvement of essential public infrastructure such as healthcare, education, and transport.
A Call for Constructive Dialogue
With the manifesto, the signatories aim to start an open and constructive discussion about the tourism model. They call for a fact-based debate that recognizes the complexity of current challenges without losing sight of the sector’s crucial role in the prosperity and well-being of the islands.
Tourism remains the backbone of the Canary Islands’ economy and a source of work and wealth for thousands of families.
Guy Devos © Photography
Businesses Support Tourism on Tenerife ©
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