Canarian tourist municipalities will show their leadership on the path towards sustainability and decarbonisation at FITUR

 

The territories that make up the Association of Tourist Municipalities of the Canary Islands (AMTC) will demonstrate at FITUR their leadership on the path towards sustainability and decarbonisation as strategic axes to consolidate the future of the sector. 

 

The AMTC seeks to confirm its position as a benchmark in responsible tourism, an objective supported by the recognition of visitors, who value the environmental efforts of these destinations with a degree of loyalty that reaches 75%, since more than 55% have visited these municipalities three or more times.

 

With the integration of San Miguel de Abona, which was made official at the assembly held today in Tenerife, there are 14 municipalities that make up the Association, which represents the main tourist destinations of the islands and covers more than 20% of the population of the Archipelago.

 

The president of the AMTC and mayor of Adeje, José Miguel Rodríguez Fraga, stressed the importance of continuing to incorporate relevant and benchmark tourist destinations, with the aim of guaranteeing an institutional union of a municipal nature in a key sector for the economy of the Canary Islands.

 

 

Rodríguez Fraga said that it is a “key moment” to reflect on the achievements of 2024 and plan for this new year, with FITUR as a “great opportunity to show our strength as a leading destination.”

 

He explained that “we will be presenting ourselves in Madrid with a clear message: the tourist municipalities of the Canary Islands are committed to sustainable tourism, with common projects that promote good practices and guarantee the quality of life in our municipalities. Our sector is strategic for the Canary Islands economy, and we must continue to lead with serenity, innovation and a tourism model that benefits our people.”

 

For her part, the Vice President of the AMTC and Mayor of Mogán, Onalia Bueno, highlighted the development and implementation of the Sustainable Tourism Plan project, which has received eight million euros for its implementation in the fourteen tourist municipalities of the Canary Islands.

 

Onalia Bueno advocated collaboration between tourist municipalities as a “key element” to consolidate a sustainable model that respects both our visitors and our towns. “We will continue to promote projects such as Canary Green, which position us as a benchmark in decarbonisation and the circular economy,” she said.

 

He also recalled that “we are focused on FITUR, where we will present ourselves jointly and where we will present individually or collectively the developments of the objectives achieved in 2024 and the new challenges for 2025.”

 

The meeting also analysed the budget for 2025, the progress of the Canary Green project – focused on environmental sustainability – and defined the strategy for participation in FITUR, one of the most important showcases for promoting tourism in the Canary Islands. 

 

The mayors also highlighted how the distribution of tourist spending is benefiting the local economy: in 2024, spending on restaurants grew by 7%; spending on leisure and sports activities increased by another 7%; and spending on shopping rose by 13%.

 

The meeting formalised the entry of San Miguel de Abona into the association. Its mayor, Arturo González, expressed his satisfaction with what he considers “a very important step” to defend the tourist interests of his municipality, highlighting the importance of working hand in hand with other destinations in the defence of common interests and in the search for solutions to the challenges of the sector.

 

The day concluded with a shared vision of the challenges and opportunities for 2025, reiterating the commitment of the member municipalities to innovation, sustainability and the promotion of the Canary Islands as a destination of excellence.

 

The AMTC

 

Comprising Adeje, Antigua, Arona, Guía de Isora, La Oliva, Mogán, Pájara, Puerto de la Cruz, San Bartolomé de Tirajana, Santiago del Teide, San Miguel de Abona, Teguise, Tías and Yaiza, the Association of Tourist Municipalities of the Canary Islands (AMTC) began its journey in 2016 and arises from respect for the diversity and uniqueness of each of the destinations, united by the desire to defend those common interests that characterise them as 'tourist municipalities'.