Tenerife Cabildo to Redefine Teide Access, Ecotax Implemented
Tenerife's Cabildo announced a year-long plan to establish new access rules for Teide National Park, aiming to enhance conservation and visitor management through measures like vehicle control and a recently implemented ecotax.
José Miguel Ruano, the second vice-president of the Cabildo de Tenerife, announced on Wednesday that the council plans to spend about a year setting new rules for how people get around Teide National Park. This comes after the Cabildo took over these responsibilities from the Canary Islands Government.
During a press conference about the Governing Council's decisions, Ruano explained that the park's Master Plan for Use and Management isn't just about the environment. (This plan is currently being challenged by environmental groups in court.) He said it also focuses on how visitors access the park, introducing "temporary measures" like encouraging public transport and managing entry at specific times.
He noted that the park has a limited number of parking spots, often called "islands." These spots will be controlled in a similar way to how hikers are managed, meaning there will be systems in place to control private vehicles entering these areas.
Ruano gave the recent snowfall as an example. During that time, a shuttle bus system was set up, which "greatly improved" how visits were managed and allowed "everyone" to experience the snow.
He also praised the new charges for climbing Teide peak and using certain trails (Tenerife residents don't have to pay). He stressed that this measure is "not about making money, but about managing visitors" to balance enjoying nature with keeping visitor numbers orderly.
Ruano believes this is a "big step forward." It follows a change late last year when visitors were required to wear proper gear to access the peak, as some people were attempting the climb "in flip-flops" despite the high-mountain conditions.
"This measure is for conservation and better visitor management, which I believe is truly what the governing team wants," he said. He added that these small ecotaxes are "the way to control access" to the most delicate natural spots, like Masca ravine.
The Cabildo de Tenerife collected 13,243 euros in the first 24 hours of implementing the new ecotax for Teide National Park. This fee, introduced on Sunday, is managed through the digital platform Tenerife ON.
A report from the system's first day showed 704 total reservations. Of these, 424 required payment, as they were made by non-residents or others not exempt from the fee. The reported revenue is before any bank deductions.
On January 19, a total of 1,346 spots were managed. This included 46 for Tenerife residents, 36 for other Canary Islands residents, 108 for children under 16, and 1,156 for non-residents.
The number of reservations on the first day of the ecotax (704 on January 19) was similar to previous weeks, with 900 reservations on January 12 and 792 on January 5. For guided tours, six reservations were made, covering a total of 28 people.
Ruano explained that the ecotax, which can be up to 25 euros for non-resident visitors, aims to help conserve Teide National Park. It also seeks to manage tourist numbers, enhance the visitor experience, and protect this iconic natural area, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site in the Canary Islands.
The money collected will be used for environmental conservation, controlling access, improving infrastructure, surveillance, and promoting environmental sustainability.