News from Tenerife (#26) is published every week as a short news overview of the past week on your favorite website.
In this series, we publish a number of events and news facts from the past week. Each article in News from Tenerife is a synthesis of several facts, actions, and occurrences that are too short to be published as a full-fledged article.
Solar Park on Site with Archaeological Discoveries
News from Tenerife #26/1
The Technological Institute for Renewable Energies (ITER), a public company under the authority of the Cabildo of Tenerife, has resumed work on a photovoltaic park in Arico, where archaeological sites were discovered during construction. ITER was forced to reduce the number of solar panels to be installed in order to take the site into account and has announced a project to raise public awareness about the archaeological remains found. The installation in question, called Fotobat 5+5, is a solar power station that was originally announced in 2019, but for which groundworks only began in 2024. When excavation machinery began digging at the site, archaeological remains in the soil were damaged.
A member of the Imastanen collective raised the alarm with the Cabildo, which led to the suspension of the works. ITER then stated that none of the heritage services—neither island-level nor regional—had objected to the project, and that there had been no prior reports of Guanche remains in the area.
The construction work was subsequently halted, and ITER hired an archaeologist to study the archaeological sites present. Although Atlántico Hoy did not gain access to the archaeological report itself, it did obtain the report from the Historical Heritage Department, which authorised the resumption of the works, provided that adjustments were made to the project to prevent further damage to the discovered structures.
ITER, the Directorate-General for Cultural Heritage, and the Spatial Planning Department have agreed on a newly defined area for the installation of solar panels, limited to zones where groundwork had already been carried out. It has also been determined that there remains an area where it still needs to be assessed whether valuable archaeological remains are present.
The agreement also stipulates that the works must be monitored by an archaeological expert, who will oversee the delimitation of all identified archaeological sites in order to prevent damage caused by machinery, vehicles, material storage, rubble, and similar risks.
Vehicle Arson in Candelaria Solved
News from Tenerife #26/2
The Guardia Civil has solved a case that caused significant concern in the municipality of Candelaria. According to the report issued by the police force, a resident of the same municipality was arrested as the suspected perpetrator of a recurring act of vandalism, after setting fire to three parked vehicles and causing damage to a fourth. The incidents occurred recently during nighttime hours and were thoroughly investigated by the authorities, who succeeded in identifying the suspected arsonist.
According to the officers’ report, the arrested man initially set fire to a single vehicle, after which the flames quickly spread to nearby parked cars, resulting in the complete destruction of three vehicles and material damage to a fourth. This act, which could have had even more serious consequences, alarmed local residents, who feared the emergence of a recurring criminal pattern.
Forensic specialists from the Guardia Civil’s Laboratory for Criminal Investigation carried out an in-depth analysis at the crime scene, collecting key evidence linking the suspect to the arson. At the same time, the Investigation Unit of Candelaria conducted various inquiries, which led to the gathering of incriminating evidence directly pointing to the arrested individual.
The suspect was already known to law enforcement and local residents, as he had recently been detained for a similar offense, further increasing concern among the community of Candelaria. Ultimately, the Guardia Civil was able to locate and arrest the man after setting up a surveillance plan. The case file has been forwarded to the on-duty investigating judge in Güímar, where judicial proceedings will continue.
New Aircraft and New Routes at Airline Binter
News from Tenerife #26/3
The airline Binter and the Cabildo of Tenerife announced on Friday, April 4, that starting June 30, two additional aircraft will be added to the base at Tenerife North Airport. Together with the aircraft that was added last Sunday at the start of the summer season, the Binter fleet at this base will consist of five Embraer E195-E2 aircraft. In addition, Binter is adding two new routes from Tenerife: Valladolid and A Coruña. The airline will also increase frequencies on six existing routes: Mallorca, Vigo, Asturias, and Zaragoza, as well as on the newly launched connections to Granadaand Pamplona.
With this expansion, Tenerife will become Binter’s fastest-growing base in 2025, both in terms of number of aircraft and destinations. More than 838,000 seats will be available, representing a 50% increase compared to 2024, spread across 17 direct routes between Tenerife North and Tenerife South.
Starting in July, Binter will connect the Canary Islands directly with 29 national and international destinations via 50 routes, 12 of which are new compared to 2024.
These routes complement the existing connections from Gran Canaria, resulting in four weekly flights per destination:
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A Coruña: Monday and Friday from Tenerife; Thursday and Sunday from Gran Canaria.
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Valladolid: Wednesday and Saturday from Tenerife; Monday and Thursday from Gran Canaria.
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Mallorca, Zaragoza, and Vigo: each with two additional weekly flights.
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Asturias, Granada, and Pamplona: each with one additional weekly flight.
With this expansion, Binter confirms its role as a key player in the air connectivity of the Canary Islands – with Tenerife as its beating heart.
Airbnb Removes All Illegal Holiday Rentals
News from Tenerife #26/4
Airbnb has committed to removing more than 150 illegal listings in the Canary Islands, as part of a new agreement signed with the regional government. The measure aims to bring order to the often unregulated holiday rental market. The platform has pledged to remove properties such as tents, boats, yurts, and vans that were unlawfully offered for short-term rental.
With immediate effect, Airbnb will require all new listings in the Canary Islands to include a valid registration number, in accordance with new EU regulations expected to come into force in Spain by July. In addition, the platform will introduce a verification tool to ensure that only listings with correctly formatted and registered numbers are accepted — automatically blocking any unregistered holiday rentals.
As part of the agreement, Airbnb will also launch an informational campaign to help hosts understand and comply with the new EU rules. These regulations will impose stricter requirements on transparency, registration, and compliance, for both platforms and property owners.
The government of the Canary Islands has already signed similar agreements with platforms such as Booking.com, but Airbnb’s involvement is considered particularly significant, given the platform’s dominant market position.
Minister De León also announced plans to strengthen the region’s tourism inspection service. At present, the service has only 14 inspectors, while 45 are officially allowed. She added that the Policía Canaria may also be involved in enforcement efforts, including digital monitoring and supervision of tourist accommodations.
This collaboration marks a broad shift toward increased oversight and regulation of the short-term rental sector, which has experienced explosive growth in recent years. Since the draft of the new vacation rental law was proposed one year ago, an additional 13,000 tourist apartments have been registered in the Canary Islands — a 25.4% increase. The total number of holiday rentals now exceeds 67,700.
Recent national legal changes have further strengthened these efforts in the Canary Islands. The newly enacted Organic Law 1/2025 expands the powers of Homeowners’ Associations under the Horizontal Property Law, allowing them to regulate or even prohibit holiday rentals within residential complexes.
Arrests for Fake Documents at Tenerife South Airport
News from Tenerife #26/5
Over the past three months, the Spanish National Police has handled eleven cases in which a total of 13 individualswere arrested at Tenerife South Airport for document fraud. The incidents all involved passengers attempting to travel to the United Kingdom or Ireland using forged documents. The investigation is still ongoing as authorities work to determine who is ultimately responsible in these cases. The incidents appear to be related to the new UK entry requirements.
As of April 2, 2025, foreign nationals from so-called third countries who do not have a residence permit in the UK are required to apply for an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) in order to enter the country, even for short stays such as tourism or business. The British government opened the online application portal on March 5, and the approval will be valid for two years or until the passport expires, whichever comes first. During this period, holders may enter the UK multiple times.
The ETA application requires travelers to submit personal details such as name, date of birth, passport number and expiry date, home address, occupation, and additional information to support the purpose of the trip. Applicants must also demonstrate that they have sufficient financial means and that they do not pose a security risk to the country. These requirements are part of a broader effort to tighten UK border controls.
Authorities suspect that the upcoming implementation of the ETA system has led to an increase in attempts to enter the UK or Ireland illegally using forged documents. Some travelers appear to have tried to circumvent the new rulesby departing before they came into effect.
The arrested individuals were brought before judicial authorities, and legal proceedings have been initiated for violations related to irregular stay. Notably, some of them attempted to travel again using fake documents, possibly taking advantage of the large number of flights from the Canary Islands to the UK and Ireland.
Other airports, including Lanzarote, have also seen arrests. This has led investigators to suspect the involvement of organized groups profiting from these illegal activities. The National Police continues the investigation with the aim of dismantling criminal networks involved in document fraud and bringing those responsible to justice.
These events and developments have a significant impact on life in Tenerife, highlighting the diverse challenges, progress, and opportunities faced by the island.
Unknown © Photography
News from Tenerife #26 ©
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