The Minister of Tourism and Employment of the Government of the Canary Islands, Jéssica de León, has reiterated in Parliament the need for a regulatory text that regulates for the first time in the islands tourist accommodation in the modalities of campsites, camping and other unique establishments, due to its impact on the social and environmental spheres.
“Within our legislative agenda, which we are strictly adhering to, is to recognize this activity of tourist and social interest for the Canary Islands, determining not only the quality standard, but also what is a transit and overnight area, a hostel or a unique tourist accommodation according to the Land Law and the Protected Natural Spaces of the Canary Islands, with the aim of giving legal certainty to public and private initiative,” she stressed.
At the moment, the minister recalled, “the regulation comes to respond to an existing need in our autonomous community because from the Tourism Law of 1995 to the present there is no reference to this activity, a consolidated segment in the islands.”
De León, who has advocated “working with the agents involved to listen to their contributions and demands with the aim of establishing a regulation that distinguishes between the different modalities of tourist accommodation in the open air, covering from simple overnight areas for motorhomes to specific camping areas.”
This regulation seeks to increase the quality of the existing accommodation offer and facilitate the start-up of new infrastructures, protecting and safeguarding the natural and environmental resources of the islands. It also aims to promote entrepreneurship, stable and quality employment, as well as the competitiveness of the tourism sector and the diversification of the offer.
On the other hand, the head of Tourism has explained that a series of meetings have been set “to continue advancing in the draft text together with the groups and associations of campers” and has recognized and thanked “the involvement of the sector to carry out this decree seeking maximum consensus.”
In addition, the minister has stressed that “with this new regulation we do not enter into the territorial and urban planning instruments necessary for the implementation of this type of establishment because they are outside the competence of the Ministry of Tourism.”
De León announced that in the coming weeks the text will be submitted to public information to gather the opinion of the citizens.
