Canary Islands President confirms that he doesn't rule out a tourist tax

The President of the Canary Islands Government, Fernando Clavijo, reiterated on Saturday that he does not rule out introducing a tourist tax, despite Vice President Manuel Domínguez stating on Friday that there wouldn’t be one.

Speaking to the press at the CC party’s Insular Convention in Gran Canaria, he said: "It is true that the ecotax is not included in the government program, but it is also true that we are willing to discuss it; the government will always engage in dialogue."

Clavijo said that the government need to review the tourism model and have arranged a conference between the seven presidents of the Canary Islands for April 30th.

"It is a successful model that has generated a lot of employment and wealth, but it is also true that we have to continue improving it," he said, noting that simply counting tourists and airline seats is not enough. "We have to deepen the added value, the increase in turnover, profit, and wealth. Therefore, all this will be discussed openly without holding back and no taboo subjects.”

Previously on April 10th, during the plenary session of the regional Parliament, the Canary Islands' president stated that he is "not closed" to debating the feasibility of implementing a tourist tax in the archipelago.