Six Arona Hotels Join Circular Economy Project to Convert Food Waste into Compost
Six hotel complexes in Arona have joined the "Circular Tourist Communities" project, an initiative that converts organic waste into compost to support local agriculture in the Canary Islands.
Waste management in the Canary Islands’ hotel sector is evolving thanks to the "Circular Tourist Communities" project. According to the hotel association Ashotel, six new hotel complexes in Arona have joined the initiative, which aims to link tourism with local agriculture by recycling organic waste.
The new participants—Arona Gran Hotel, Coral Suites & Spa, Parque Santiago 3 and 4, Gran Oasis Resort, Paradise Park Funlifestyle Hotel, and Marylanza Suites & Spa—will now use a door-to-door collection system. This program processes food scraps and garden waste into compost, which is then returned to local farmers to enrich the soil.
This strategy helps the tourism industry lower its environmental impact by turning waste into a valuable resource for the circular economy. Enrique Padrón, Ashotel’s head of Innovation and Sustainability, noted that the hotel industry has a unique ability to create useful resources locally. Theo Hernando, secretary general of Asaga Canarias, added that the partnership is vital for boosting local consumption and supporting regional producers.
Over the past four years, the project has successfully managed more than 3,500 tons of organic and garden waste. By helping hotels meet European and national waste-sorting regulations, this model demonstrates how public-private cooperation can create a sustainable link between the islands' tourism and agricultural sectors.