The Las Palmas Federation of Hospitality and Tourism Businesses Defends Legal Certainty and Tax Fairness Following the Annulment of the Tourist Tax.

The Las Palmas Federation of Hospitality and Tourism Businesses (FEHT) has expressed its satisfaction with the ruling that annuls the overnight tourist tax approved by the Mogán City Council. This decision supports the legal and substantive arguments maintained by the business association since the beginning of the proceedings.

This court decision is also good news for the sector and for the Canary Islands population in general, who were also negatively impacted by the increased costs resulting from this tax when enjoying hotels and other accommodation establishments in the archipelago.

The FEHT emphasizes that its appeal was never intended as an institutional confrontation, but rather as a response to the need to defend legal certainty and fairness in the tax burden borne by the sector.

The Federation understood from the outset that the measure created by the council could not be considered a fee in the legal sense, but rather acted materially as a tax, since it levied a charge on the mere overnight stay in tourist establishments without any specific public service being provided to justify the charge.

However, the creation of new taxes falls under the purview of the legislature (national or regional) and cannot be assumed by local administrations. The FEHT also points out that the tourism sector is already the main contributor to the maintenance of public services in the Canary Islands.

Through the economic activity it generates and, in particular, through the collection of the IGIC (Canary Islands General Indirect Tax), tourism contributes a very significant portion (around 40%) of the public revenue that subsequently funds the Autonomous Community, the island councils, and the municipalities each year.

Specifically, accommodation in tourist establishments is already subject to a 7% IGIC, a tax paid by tourists visiting the Islands as well as by Canary Island residents themselves.

Therefore, the Federation maintains that it is inappropriate to establish mechanisms that impose double taxation on an economic activity that already bears a tax burden and that, moreover, generates tens of thousands of direct and indirect jobs and constitutes the main support of the Canary Islands’ economy.

The specific overnight stay tax was a clear example of double taxation on the same item, to the detriment of the sector’s competitiveness and also of Canary Islanders themselves who wish to stay in the Islands’ establishments, insofar as they also had to pay the tax now annulled by the High Court of Justice.

The tourism employers’ association reiterates its full willingness to collaborate with all public administrations to continue improving the quality of tourist destinations, strengthen their sustainability, and guarantee public services commensurate with the importance of tourism for the Canary Islands.

For example, the FEHT (Federation of Hospitality and Tourism Businesses) has already expressed its support for implementing fees for visiting the islands’ natural areas, a measure justified by the provision of specific services during these visits and aimed at raising the necessary funds for their proper conservation and management.

For tourism businesses, these shared objectives must be achieved while respecting the current legal framework and through ongoing dialogue between institutions and the business sector.

The Maspalomas Gran Canaria Consortium is promoting the first phase of improvements to the GC-500 between the roundabout accessing El Hornillo-Meloneras and the Pasito Blanco interchange. This project will transform nearly one kilometer of this road into a more accessible, safer environment adapted to sustainable mobility. The project is now open for tender with a base budget of €2,447,670.49 and includes new bike lanes, continuous sidewalks, rest areas, improvements to street lighting, and two new roundabouts.

The project involves the redevelopment of approximately one kilometer of the GC-500 road, maintaining the existing roadway for vehicular traffic and incorporating new infrastructure to promote walking and cycling.

Among the main planned works are the construction of two new roundabouts to improve connections with future urbanized areas, as well as the construction of continuous sidewalks on both sides of the road and the creation of separate bike lanes.

The project also includes new pedestrian crossings, rest areas next to bus stops, installation of street furniture, bicycle parking, signage, pergolas, and a renewed public lighting system.

In addition, the project will incorporate technical work aimed at improving the safety and durability of the infrastructure, such as drainage improvements, resurfacing, pipe installation, retaining walls, and adaptation of the spaces to the existing environment.

During the construction, traffic diversions and perimeter fencing will be implemented to ensure the safety of users and minimize disruption to traffic on this section of the GC-500.

The project will be financed by the San Bartolomé de Tirajana City Council and carried out by the Maspalomas Gran Canaria Consortium as part of the accessibility and mobility improvement plan. The estimated completion time is approximately eight months from the date of the site survey verification report.

In addition to economic criteria, the tender will consider proposals that reduce the execution time and incorporate improvements to the road surface. Interested companies have until Tuesday, August 4, at 12:59 a.m. to submit their bids through the State Procurement Platform.

The Parliament of the Canary Islands has approved a sector-specific law that alters the legal and financial framework of the archipelago’s main economic drivers. The new Canary Islands Tourist Municipalities Law, for the first time, grants local governments their own administrative system. The legislation is designed to address the structural deficit in the municipal finances of southern Gran Canaria, which have historically been forced to fund public services designed for millions of annual visitors with budgets calculated solely based on the registered population. The law introduces a weighting system that recognizes the impact of the transient population on the allocation of public resources.

The municipalities of San Bartolomé de Tirajana and Mogán, where the largest concentration of tourist accommodation in the province is located, are the driving force behind this legislation, which they promoted through the Association of Tourist Municipalities of the Canary Islands (AMTC). Insufficient funds for maintaining critical areas such as street cleaning, beach safety, and coastal infrastructure have strained the budgets of these southern municipalities for decades. The law allows for the legal adaptation of local councils’ organizational structure to the actual demographics they serve, overcoming the limitations of the resident census.

The law eliminates the previous generic designation of tourist territory and establishes a classification model based on auditable macroeconomic variables. The regulations establish the categories of Municipality of Tourist Excellence and Municipality of Unique Tourist Character. To achieve the status of Excellence, destinations in southern Gran Canaria must certify that tourism generates more than 15% of their local economy. Furthermore, the text requires simultaneous compliance with two of three objective criteria: a specific volume of annual floating population, a substantial accommodation capacity, or a significant density of high-end four- and five-star hotels.

The new legal framework entails strict operational obligations for the beneficiary municipalities. Local authorities that achieve excellence status will be required to design and implement a municipal tourism management plan. The text defines a comprehensive catalog of mandatory minimum services that exceeds the traditional powers granted by the Local Government Act. Municipalities in southern Gran Canaria are legally obligated to undertake environmental monitoring, noise control in leisure areas, enhanced waste collection, the creation of urban climate shelters, and the permanent deployment of lifeguards along the coast.

The institutional counterpart to this requirement is the direct inclusion of tourist municipalities in the governing bodies of the autonomous community. Mayors in the south will have a voice and a vote in strategic planning committees and in the forums for the distribution of public funds by the Government of the Canary Islands, a space where traditional representation depended on residential population rather than on the contribution to the regional gross domestic product (GDP). This co-decision-making capacity aims to redirect infrastructure investments toward the renovation of degraded public spaces in Playa del Inglés and Puerto Rico.

The Virgen del Carmen will be proclaimed perpetual mayor of Mogán, and the Pilgrimage-Offering will debut a longer route at the request of residents.

Arguineguín and Playa de Mogán will celebrate the festivities in honor of the Virgen del Carmen between July 6 and August 2 with a program that combines religious ceremonies, tradition, and popular activities.

One of the highlights will take place on July 16, when the image of the Virgen del Carmen of Arguineguín will be proclaimed perpetual mayor of Mogán during the Eucharist presided over by the Bishop of the Diocese of the Canary Islands, before the procession through the town’s streets.

Another new feature affects the Arguineguín Pilgrimage-Offering, scheduled for July 11. The procession will follow a longer route, starting from El Perchel beach, in response to a request from participating groups.

The images of the Virgen del Carmen from Arguineguín and Playa de Mogán will also debut new vestments for this year’s festivities.

The traditional maritime processions will once again connect the two coastal towns. The image from Arguineguín will sail to Playa de Mogán on July 19th, and the image from Playa de Mogán will return the visit on August 2nd.

The program also includes open-air dances, concerts, outdoor cinema, children’s activities, traditional tournaments, and a seafood fair.

More than 120 athletes from three continents will compete for nine days in one of the most prestigious events on the international wave circuit

Arenal Beach in Pozo Izquierdo once again became the epicenter of world windsurfing this Saturday with the start of the 38th Gran Canaria Windsurf World Cup. This event brings together more than 120 competitors from three continents and will place Santa Lucía de Tirajana in the international spotlight of the sport for the next nine days.

The opening day began with the traditional group photo of the participants. Although wind conditions prevented the start of the competition heats, the atmosphere on the beach was electric with athletes preparing and anticipation for the start of the championship.

The competition is part of the PWA wave circuit and the World Wave Tour. The event will once again pit young local talents against some of the world’s best specialists.

The Gran Canaria Gloria Windsurf World Cup is endorsed by the Royal Spanish Sailing Federation and has the support of the Government of the Canary Islands, the Gran Canaria Island Council, the Santa Lucía de Tirajana City Council and various public and private entities that collaborate in the organization of the event.

The day also served to honor the victims of the Atlantic route, present Onalia Bueno with the commemorative medal of the papal visit and give her the Mogán Book of Honors signed by the Holy Father. The Port of Arguineguín experienced a day filled with symbolism this Wednesday with the inauguration of the Pier of Hope, a new name that perpetuates the memory of Pope Leo XIV’s historic visit to the Canary Islands and pays tribute to those who died on the Atlantic migration route.

The event, organized by the Diocese of the Canary Islands, Canary Islands Ports Authority, and the Mogán City Council, brought together numerous residents, institutional representatives, members of the port community, and religious authorities in a gathering marked by remembrance, solidarity, and recognition.

The central moment of the ceremony was the unveiling of a commemorative plaque marking the first visit of a Pope to the Canary Islands and, specifically, to the Port of Arguineguín. From now on, this space will be known as the Pier of Hope, a name that seeks to convey a lasting message of welcome, respect, and commitment to life.

The managing director of Puertos Canarios (Canary Islands Ports Authority), José Gilberto Moreno, pointed out that this new name “is not just a name, but a declaration of principles,” commemorating both the visit of the Holy Father and those who lost their lives trying to reach the Canary Islands.

He also emphasized that the ports of the archipelago are “service infrastructures, but also places of encounter, memory, and humanity,” underscoring that this new symbol represents the values ​​of solidarity and hope that the Canary Islands wish to project.

During the ceremony, the Mayor of Mogán, Onalia Bueno, received the official medal commemorating the visit of Pope Leo XIV in recognition of the work carried out by the Town Council to make the historic meeting possible on June 11th.

She was also presented with the Mogán Book of Honors, whose first signature belongs to the Holy Father, thus inaugurating this new institutional record of the municipality.

The Mayor expressed her gratitude for the collaboration among all the administrations involved and highlighted the effort made by municipal staff to prepare the port and attend to the thousands of people who came to welcome the Pontiff during his only visit to the Canary Islands.

During the ceremony, the stage used during the papal visit was also officially transferred to the Town Council. It will remain installed in the port area as part of the legacy of that event.

One of the most moving moments of the day came with the reading, by the Bishop of the Diocese of the Canary Islands, José Mazuelos, of a letter sent by Pope Leo XIV in which he encourages the people of the Canary Islands to continue being a welcoming and compassionate land.

The bishop also spoke next to the cross made from the wood of migrant boats, blessed by the Pope himself during his visit. This piece commemorates the role played by the Port of Arguineguín during the 2020 migration crisis, when it became one of the main arrival points for migrants to the Canary Islands.

A rosary blessed by the Pope was also presented to parish priest Fernando García for the image of Our Lady of Mount Carmel at the port, along with a replica of the clay plate received by the Holy Father and a rosary for the managing director of Canary Islands Ports.

New developments in the context of financial contingencies and legal liabilities in the timeshare sector in southern Gran Canaria, the most lucrative fractional holiday property market in Europe. The Civil Chamber of the High Court, has issued an order agreeing to review the defense strategy of Anfi Sales S.L., the marketing subsidiary of the Anfi Group, a tourism giant whose hotel and timeshare complexes dominate the coastal cliffs of the municipalities of Mogán.

The holiday rental giant is seeking to overturn an unfavorable ruling by the Provincial Court of Las Palmas, issued in July 2024. That ruling upheld the annulment of a purchase agreement signed on July 4, 2013, requiring the return of the amounts paid by a retail buyer. The lower courts in Gran Canaria had determined that the contract was void due to the lack of clarity regarding its object, a violation linked to the business model of the so-called “floating weeks” or floating super-network season, a system that sells holiday periods without assigning a fixed week or a specific apartment number.

The core of the legal dispute lies in the interpretation of Law 4/2012 on timeshare contracts. Anfi Sales S.L. In its appeal, the appellant argues that the Provincial Court violated the sole transitional provision of the legislation by rigidly applying the doctrine of nullity due to indeterminacy to contracts signed after 2012 but linked to tourist resorts whose operating arrangements were legally established before the 1998 reforms.

For tour operators based in southern Gran Canaria, a destination that generates a substantial portion of the leisure industry’s GDP in the archipelago, the Supreme Court’s ruling represents a procedural lifeline after years of severe strain on the sector’s balance sheets due to massive litigation brought by multinational law firms. The Supreme Court has acknowledged the need to rule on this matter with the explicit objective of “clarifying, refining, or confirming” its own jurisprudence, in direct reference to previous rulings issued in late September 2025.

The decision to admit the case has been made provisionally, pending the final review that will be reflected in the Supreme Court’s final ruling. The order establishes a non-extendable period of twenty days for the plaintiff’s legal representatives to file their statement of opposition in Madrid, during which time the case file will be available for review at the Clerk’s Office of the First Chamber.

The Mogán Town Council has filed a lawsuit against the public entity Puertos Canarios with the Administrative Court of the Las Palmas Court of First Instance. The lawsuit stems from the regional body’s refusal to recognize the council’s historical rights to operate the Mogán Marina, a key tourist destination whose original concession expires in 2031.

The jurisdictional dispute stems from conflicting legal interpretations regarding the permits granted during the construction phase of the facilities in the 1980s. The Mogán City Council maintains that it retains its status as the original holder of the concession since the Council of Ministers signed the order on February 27, 1981, for a period of half a century. Based on this argument, the municipal legal services emphasize that the transfer of operations in 1987 to the private entity Puerto de Mogán S.A. constituted only a transfer of management, with the local council reserving the exclusive right to process any extension of the term.

The proposal to be submitted for plenary approval reveals that the private company has also submitted its own extension request to the regional government. Upon discovering that Puertos Canarios is processing this request behind the back of the municipal administration and blocking access to the documents, The Council of Mogán has opted to protect its position through legal action. The municipal agreement will formally demand that the company Puerto de Mogán S.A. immediately withdraw its extension request, seeking to restore direct management of the port area to the public sector.

To meet the criteria established by coastal legislation to access an extraordinary 25-year extension, the council has presented a substantial financial report. The updated value of the initial infrastructure investment is estimated at €45.8 million, which sets the legal minimum reinvestment required to request the extension at €9.1 million. Together for Mogán is increasing its commitment to the regional government by pledging a budget allocation of €13.3 million, broken down into a package of 18 urgent technical projects.

The mayor has already requested assistance and mediation from the Canary Islands Government (CC) to resolve a situation that threatens to paralyze development plans for the municipality’s main economic engine. This action by the city council shifts control of the Port of Mogán from the political offices in Las Palmas to the courtrooms of the High Court of Justice.

The climate of southern Gran Canaria is not just an atmospheric factor; it is the invisible architect that transformed a wasteland of dunes, shepherds, and tomato fields into one of Europe’s most powerful tourist destinations. Understanding the history of Maspalomas means understanding how its weather conditions, recorded in scientific reports and in the memories of its inhabitants, shaped the landscape. From the records of the first explorers to the satellite precision of 2026, the climate of San Bartolomé de Tirajana has maintained one constant: an almost miraculous stability broken only by the sporadic fury of the Atlantic.

Before the arrival of mass tourism, Maspalomas was a climatic frontier. Data from the first half of the 20th century, compiled piecemeal by farmers and the first official observers, describe a territory marked by extreme water scarcity. The south of the island survived under a relentless sun that guaranteed more than 3,000 hours of sunlight a year, a resource that back then didn’t translate into hammocks and hotels, but rather into a constant battle against drought.

The weather of this era was dictated by agricultural cycles. The northeast trade winds, although they blew with the same consistency as today, were seen as a factor that dried out export crops. The few annual rains were concentrated in subtle winter storms. However, when the weather in the south changed abruptly, it did so with historic violence: the ravines, usually dry and stony, experienced flash floods that completely transformed the landscape of La Charca.

The Opening of the Airport and the METAR Era (1970-2000)

The inauguration and consolidation of the Gran Canaria Airport weather station (ICAO code: GCLP) marked a turning point in the accuracy of historical weather records. From the 1970s onward, the weather in Maspalomas began to be measured minute by minute through METAR reports, coded for international aviation but vital for the burgeoning tourism sector.

It was during these decades that Maspalomas’ climate became an internationally renowned attraction. Historical charts began to scientifically demonstrate what travelers already knew: the south of the island enjoyed virtually no winter, with temperatures rarely falling below 18°C ​​in January, and summers where the thermometer stabilized in a comfortable range between 24°C and 28°C. The relative humidity, moderated by the ocean, became the perfect balm for visitors from Northern and Central Europe.

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However, historical records also document the major challenges posed by extreme weather. Episodes of super haze—Saharan air masses that raised temperatures above 40°C in a matter of hours—tested urban infrastructure. Likewise, the passage of weakened tropical storms and intense Atlantic cyclones periodically served as a reminder of the fragility of a coastline undergoing rapid construction.

The 21st Century and the Challenge of Climate Change (2000-2026)

With the arrival of the new millennium and the integration of advanced climate reconstruction models such as MERRA-2, scientists began to detect subtle but significant changes in Maspalomas’ weather patterns. The average summer temperature showed an upward trend, and tropical nights—those where the temperature does not drop below 20°C—went from being a summer anomaly to a recurring phenomenon between June and September.

The wind, the area’s driving force, has also been a focus of analysts’ attention in recent years. Although the trade winds continue to blow strongly, reaching speeds of over 40 km/h on summer afternoons—alterations in their frequency have compelled authorities to actively intervene in the natural environment. The relocation of kiosks and infrastructure in Playa del Inglés in 2026 is the direct result of decades of meteorological observation, aimed at restoring the wind’s natural path so it can continue to move the sand and preserve the dunes.

Today, the weather in Maspalomas combines the same zenithal light and clear skies that captivated the pioneers of tourism with scientific climate management. This historical record demonstrates that the greatest asset of this coastline remains its atmosphere: a microclimate protected by the island’s geography that, despite global pressures, refuses to lose its eternal spring.