The tourist tax in the Canary Islands is a new levy that not only applies to international tourists but also to Spanish residents who stay in local accommodations.
This marks the first time a municipality in Spain has implemented such a measure with a strictly defined purpose: strengthening tourist infrastructure, improving services, and promoting sustainable development projects. The decision was taken by the municipal council of Mogán in Gran Canaria.
For those interested in gaining a broader context and additional information, click [HERE].
€0.15 per night, per person
It is now official: the first municipality in the Canary Islands will introduce, for the first time, a per-night tourist tax that also applies to residents. The revenue from this additional levy, which will be charged to every tourist—including Spaniards and Canary Islanders renting a holiday spot—will be used exclusively to finance activities, services, or infrastructure.
Starting in 2025, anyone staying in any form of accommodation in Mogán (Gran Canaria) will be required to pay a tourist tax of €0.15 per person per day, as established by the municipal council. This is the first tax of its kind to be introduced in the Canary Islands. It has also been made clear that the charge applies to every user of an accommodation, including holiday homes, regardless of whether they come from outside Gran Canaria or are island residents.
Purpose-Driven Nature
Mogán is one of the most important holiday destinations in the Canary archipelago. During a press conference, Mayor Onalia Bueno explained that the daily rate of this tax will vary each year, depending on the investments the municipal government intends to make for the benefit of its visitors. The income from this tax will always be earmarked for specific uses.
Bueno emphasized that this specific, purpose-driven approach—what she refers to as its “finalistic character”—distinguishes the new levy in Mogán from the tourist taxes imposed by the governments of Catalonia and the Balearic Islands, to which Galicia will add its own as of January 2025. The proceeds will be used exclusively to finance activities, services, or infrastructure in tourist areas and to promote this holiday destination.
An Example for Others
With every euro now specifically allocated to improving tourist areas, the conviction grows that similar measures elsewhere can help strike a better balance between costs and benefits. Municipalities that previously hesitated will now implement their own tourist tax with greater confidence, encouraged by the positive effects that will become visible in Mogán.
Mogán’s decision to become the first municipality in Spain to introduce its own tourist tax not only opens a new chapter in the tourism development of the Canary Islands but also sets the tone for other coastal and holiday regions struggling to balance growth, sustainability, and quality. Now that this precedent has been set, it is only a matter of time before other municipalities follow suit.
Conscious Tourism Policy
The expectation is that the tourist tax in the Canary Islands will not only lead to a more livable and sustainable tourist environment but also help achieve a fairer balance of interests among entrepreneurs, residents, and visitors.
In doing so, a new phase is underway, one in which local authorities take firm control in shaping their tourist futures. Today, it is Mogán that has taken the first step; tomorrow, other municipalities will undoubtedly follow by introducing their own tourist tax. Thus, the trend solidifies: tourism is no longer driven solely by growth, but also by thoughtful policy and a broader sense of responsibility.
Atlantico Hoy © Photography
Tourist tax in the Canary Islands ©
More NEWS can be read [HERE].
Interested in Tenerife?
Subscribe to our newsletter and always stay informed about the news on Tenerife.
Enter your first name and a valid email address below. Then click on Subscribe.
