Gánigo 2025 Awards Honor Southern Tenerife's Standouts

The Southern Tourist Initiatives Center (CIT) recently held its Gánigo 2025 awards ceremony in Los Cristianos. The event, which took place at the Infanta Leonor auditorium, was attended by prominent figures from the region's institutions, politics, society, and business sectors.

A total of 18 awards were given out, with nine of them presented by the southern municipalities. These awards recognized individuals, organizations, and groups from various fields for their contributions to the region's economic and social progress.

The highlight of the evening was when businessman Pedro Luis Cobiella received the Honorary Award from the organization. The 88-year-old founder of Hospiten was visibly moved as the entire auditorium, including the head table and the other award recipients, gave him a standing ovation to honor his career.

DIARIO DE AVISOS newspaper received the Communication award for its journalism, which the CIT Sur Board of Directors described as "going beyond the news, listening, connecting, and giving a voice to the social, cultural, and economic reality of Tenerife." The board also praised the newspaper's commitment to truth and communication, which helps strengthen ties between institutions, citizens, and the region.

Juan Carlos Mateu, co-director of DIARIO DE AVISOS, expressed his gratitude for the award and emphasized the newspaper's connection to southern Tenerife, where it opened its first office nearly 50 years ago. He stated, "This award makes us very excited because it comes from the South, and we are proud to be the newspaper of the South. As the citation indicates, we strive to inform beyond just the headlines."

He also highlighted the newspaper's commitment to society and the truth, saying, "You will always find us supporting initiatives that improve the quality of life for the people in this area of the Island, and we will criticize anything that goes against the best interests of southern Tenerife."

Other award recipients included Paradise Park Fun Lifestyle Hotel, Quesería El Isorano (cheese factory), Boutique Oliver, Restaurante Donaire GF Victoria, Escuela de Vela Los Cristianos (sailing school), and the Miraverde neighborhood community. In addition to the Honorary Award for Pedro Luis Cobiella, Aqualand Costa Adeje, the water park known for its iconic "open tap" image, received a special distinction.

The municipalities of the region presented their awards, symbolized by a pre-Hispanic clay pot, to the following: Don Bosco Association (Adeje), the town of Icor (Arico), Bat4all accessible boat Tenerife (Arona), Ceo Guajara (Fasnia), Escuela de Juego del Palo (Granadilla de Abona), Sámara Municipal Group (Guía de Isora), Ferretería Tamaide (San Miguel de Abona), Centro Alfarería de Arguayo (Santiago del Teide), and Fuente Alta Trail (Vilaflor de Chasna).

CIT Sur recognized all of these recipients for their exemplary work, effort, and talent, which contribute to a positive image of the South.

The mayor of Arona, Fátima Lemes, congratulated the award winners and encouraged attendees to "protect" and "defend" the South. The vice president of the Cabildo, Lope Afonso, emphasized the importance of striving for excellence. Rafael Dolado, president of CIT Sur, highlighted the organization's work and the progress of the southern region, noting that CIT Sur will celebrate its 60th anniversary in 2026.

Soprano Sally Li provided the musical entertainment, captivating the audience with performances of "One Moment in Time" and "Can't Take My Eyes Off You." Violinist Marcos Depetris also impressed the audience with his rendition of Coldplay's "Viva la Vida."

The gala, attended by the mayors of Arona, San Miguel de Abona, Fasnia, and Arico, as well as council members from all the southern municipalities, concluded with a special surprise. A special gánigo was presented to the wife of the president of CIT Sur in recognition of her support for his work over a decade of leadership. This gesture brought the audience to its feet once again, providing a warm and enjoyable conclusion to the event.