The Minister of Tourism of the Government of the Canary Islands, Jessica de León, has explained that she will listen to what the demonstration on April 20 says, which will demand a transformation of the tourism model that results more in the well-being of the Canarians.
In a recent interview with Radio Lanzarote-Onda Cero, de León says that her team has not detected tourismophobia or concern among tourists about the demonstrations. She rejects the ecotax and instead proposes charging for entering natural spaces, which she calls "the Lanzarote model."
At the same time, she faces a wave of criticism for the long list of requirements for vacation homes in the draft Law on Tourist Rentals, which many small owners fear will end their business. De León explains that there is still room to introduce changes in the text.
- What do you think of the demonstration on April 20?
I think it is a legitimate form of expression for citizens, because they have grown tired of waiting for housing, waiting for solutions for queues, infrastructure, and at a general level. Therefore, I think we have to listen to what the demonstration says, note what the groups are saying, and sit down to dialogue.
"In the Balearic Islands, they have been unable to spend what was collected with the ecotax."
- What do you think of the support of so many political parties for the demonstration?
I am going to respect all the parties that are going to the demonstration very much, but it seems to me that some, after 14 years of continuous government in this community, with a presidency for four years alone, could have done many of the things that the demonstration is asking for.
Now they are going to hold banners, a profession that the left is quite good at. I respect it, but I do not share the demagoguery and political opportunism, I think we have to be up to the level of an industry that generates 22,000 million euros of income and 35.5% of the GDP of this community.
- What do you think of the request for an ecotax?
Whenever there has been talk of an ecotax, it has been said that it is to have an impact on the care of natural environments, and, in that, I agree, but that is a fee for the provision of services, not an ecotax.
It is the Lanzarote model (charging admission as in Timanfaya) exported to the rest of the islands. I think that is what needs to be done in the rest of the islands where people freely enter natural spaces and their carrying capacity is violated.
Since I arrived, I said no to the ecotax, because in other places in Spain we have seen how we are able to raise money and then not invest it. In the Balearic Islands, they have been unable to spend what was collected.
- Some businessmen have said that the demonstration could have some tourismophobia, has your department received any complaints from tourists?
We have not received any complaints from any tourists regarding these demonstrations. We have a surveillance shield for the Canary Islands brand and we detect what both Canarians and our main foreign markets think on the networks.
At the moment, the demonstration is not being significant in the issuing markets, although it is true that we have received some inquiries from travel agencies to find out what the reasons for the demonstration were.
"Not everything is valid in the vacation rental. Just as no one can open a workshop in a ground floor in the city center or a carpentry shop on a fifth A"
- The Canary Islands Vacation Rental Association (Ascav) says that your draft law mortally wounds vacation homes, especially small owners...
A draft law is a draft where the Government clarifies its intentions. Now it is time for allegations with citizens and hearing procedures with affected associations such as Ascav.
This is the Government's proposal and when the allegation period ends on May 9, we will sit down to negotiate with all the groups. Our intention will never be to annihilate an activity. We are simply going to organize the sector because not everything is valid in the vacation rental. Just as no one can open a workshop in a ground floor in the city center or a carpentry shop on a fifth A.
Now we have to discuss those requirements. I think everyone has read that 'you have to install air conditioning', but no one has read 'unless for economic, technical or environmental reasons its installation is impossible'.
"Vacation rentals can only be exercised by small owners"
- They seem like more difficult requirements for the small owner than for the large holder…
In the project there are only three absolute provisions: one, an official protection home cannot be marketed; two, vacation homes cannot be marketed on agricultural land or landscape protection land; and three, there cannot be entire vacation rental buildings. These will have to transition to hotel or extra-hotel modalities. Vacation rentals can only be exercised by small owners.
What we want is simply that the home has quality. We are willing to discuss issues such as size or energy certificates. Many have told us, I was given a certificate of occupancy for 25 square meters and you now say that it has to be 31 meters.
- Do you plan to provide more staff and resources to the Department's team of inspectors?
We need the 35 inspectors of the autonomous community not only to increase, which would be very good, but also to be able to cross-reference the data of the Property Registrars with those of the Government of the Canary Islands and those of the tourist rental platforms.
Crossing what is registered and legal with what clearly violates the responsible declaration would be a much faster way than appearing in each of the 54,000 vacation homes.
