The Minister of Tourism and Employment stressed during the meeting held this Tuesday at the Casa Palacio that the Government of the Canary Islands is going to work on sustainability “as an essential element of the tourism sector.”
De León also highlighted the reinforcement in connectivity through the Flight Development Fund and valued the gradual recovery of tourism in Gran Canaria, ensuring that “4,6% more air seats have been scheduled for the island for the next season.” winter, including markets such as the peninsular, British, French, Irish and Italian.
The counselor also stated that next November a call for applications will be opened. 10 millones de euros to carry out actions in 2024 using Next Generation European funds to which “all proposals that have a project and that are of tourist interest in terms of infrastructure” can be submitted, he indicated.
He also announced that a public consultation will be opened for the tourist use of housing, with explanatory sessions that will be held on all the islands, the first in Lanzarote on October 27, to inform about the future law on this matter, the that “the participation of all administrations, agents, professional associations and interested owners” is expected.
For his part, the president of the Cabildo of Gran Canaria, Antonio Morales, highlighted the good situation that the Gran Canaria tourism market is experiencing today, in which “the figures are very positive, despite the German and Nordic withdrawal. We are almost at the data for the year 2019 and, in addition to that, we have a record turnover, we are the Island with the highest spending and the most overnight stays, and, after Lanzarote, we are where visitors repeat most frequently, that is, There is greater loyalty to the destination,” he explained. A scenario for which he predicted an imminent improvement, since, as he later added, “for the first quarter of 2024, it is expected to gain 10% compared to the year-on-year comparison, with 21 direct routes with peninsular and Balearic cities, and 73 European, African and Macaronesia destinations. “We are facing historic connectivity in Gran Canaria.”
Furthermore, he highly valued the existing coordination between both institutions to move towards sustainability as the essential element in the development of the tourism sector, “based on the circular economy, the waste policy and the different actions that must be developed.” in the blue economy linked to tourism and energy", as well as for "the development of the programs that we currently have in place, for the renewal and rehabilitation of the tourist spaces of Gran Canaria, through the European funds that have been has been capturing in recent years.”
For his part, the Minister of Tourism, Carlos Álamo, praised the counselor's proposal to establish a subsidy line to facilitate the entry of air routes with new destinations, especially to promote connections with Eastern Europe and North America.
The working meeting was also attended by the Deputy Minister of Tourism, José Manuel Sanabria, the General Director of Tourism Planning, Training and Promotion, Miguel Ángel Rodríguez, and the General Director of Infrastructure, Sustainability and Tourism Quality, Héctor Mateo.
