The AEAT brings together its board of directors and advocates focusing all public and private efforts on improving the image of the destination
The Las Palmas Tourist Accommodation Business Association (AEAT) is attending the Madrid International Tourism Fair, Fitur, this week with the aim of contributing to the consolidation of the recovery of the sector in the Canary Islands, while warning about the threats that loom over it even in a context that seems favorable for the recovery of activity.
In particular, non-hotel entrepreneurs in the province of Las Palmas advocate influencing those aspects that depend on the decisions that can be made in the Canary Islands, both at the private and administrative levels, beyond an international situation that has been adverse. for the Islands but at the present time it seems to reverse this trend and offers good prospects.
In particular, the AEAT applauds, in the words of its president, Tom Smulders, that “some politicians from Gran Canaria, such as the president of the Cabildo and public officials of the municipality par excellence of the Archipelago, San Bartolomé de Tirana, share our assessment of the danger that the current avalanche of purchases of accommodation units on tourist land means for the main economic activity of the island, tourism.” On the contrary, they criticize "electoralist approaches" that mix objective needs, such as the shortage of housing in tourist areas, with behaviors that are harmful to the economy, such as residentialization, which "does not solve housing problems, but it does seriously damage tourism.”
The president of the non-hoteliers made this statement after a meeting of the board of directors of the AEAT, which highlighted the damage that the phenomenon of residentialization of tourist land represents for the economy of the Islands. It is a conclusion that is also supported by studies by the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, through its Tides institute, and has been endorsed by both the federation of tourism employers, FEHT, and the main tourism unions, CCOO and UGT.
In this regard, the president of the non-hotel owners pointed out that "the AEAT reserves the right to defend itself against attempts to boycott its tourist activity, a practice that sometimes leads to attitudes of tourismphobia on the part of new property buyers who settle in complexes." tourism with the proper established exploitation unit and violate it.” This practice is particularly harmful to smaller accommodation establishments, stressed Smulders, who added that residentialization “ends up diminishing their main activity like woodworm, something that discourages their managers and discourages tour operators from continuing to care for tourism.” in these complexes.” What tourism needs, added the president of the AEAT, “is to advance in respect for the legal security and professional quality that tourism on the island needs.”
On the other hand, the board of directors of the AEAT also focused on other specific problems of municipalities with a relevant weight of tourist activity, as is the case of San Bartolomé de Tirajana. In this regard, non-hotel businessmen denounce the episodes of citizen insecurity produced by uncontrolled nightlife in some areas of the tourist area, as well as the state of deterioration suffered by some shopping centers in the area of Playa del Inglés and Maspalomas, a matter for the that both the AEAT and the FEHT have advocated for rehabilitation measures promoted by the Administration, such as through the approval of a Modernization and Improvement Plan (PMM) for the commercial area located on the coastal strip and currently very degraded.
In the prelude to Fitur, the president of the non-hoteliers also launched an optimistic message regarding the evolution of the destination, to point out that “in the tourist areas of the island of Gran Canaria we have everything to win the battle for the future of tourism, because There are many positive elements in a varied offer with sports, culture, good food, professionalism, friendliness and a long etcetera.” For this reason, Tom Smulders urged public authorities to address “with determination and courage” the aforementioned challenges, such as stopping residentialization, citizen safety in the tourist environment and the regeneration of public and private spaces, because, he stated, “In the end what is at stake, and it is not small, is the tourist image and the competitive quality of the Gran Canaria destination, which we now have to defend at Fitur and other international fairs. And if we are together, we will achieve that goal.”
