On its first anniversary, Mogán’s pioneering tourist tax faces a major legal setback. The High Court of Justice of the Canary Islands (TSJC) annulled the ordinance charging visitors €0.15 per day, finding that its collection mechanism distorts the tax’s nature and violates the principle of equivalence.

Despite initial interruptions caused by tourism associations’ legal challenges, the council collected over €660,000 and projected annual revenue of nearly €1.4 million once all municipal accommodation facilities were covered. Despite the challenge filed by the Federation of Hospitality and Tourism Entrepreneurs of Las Palmas (FEHT), Mayor Onalia Bueno defended the tax, saying it had not reduced visitor numbers.

Mogán, in southwest Gran Canaria, intended its model to pave the way for a regional tax funding public infrastructure, the integrated water cycle and natural-space conservation amid demand from 18 million tourists annually. However, the TSJC’s Contentious-Administrative Chamber found that the tax financed general expenditure without linking charges to specific service costs. The ruling blocks the council’s planned daily rate increase and questions the technical viability of local tourist taxes. Further progress now depends on a legally sound regional framework.

El Tablero, in San Bartolomé de Tirajana, will host another edition of “Flavors of the World: Tapas in Maspalomas” (“Sabores del Mundo: De Tapas en Maspalomas”) on Friday, November 6.

Organized by the Department of Local Development, the event will run from 7:00 PM to 12:15 AM at Plaza T8, with music by DJ Toni Bob, Sr. Natilla, and Los 600. Tapas and glasses of wine will cost €3 each; beers and soft drinks will cost €2 each.

Mayor Marco Aurelio Pérez highlighted the culinary diversity of a municipality home to more than a hundred nationalities. He said this varied offering deserves greater recognition, promotion, and appreciation.

He added that initiatives such as “Flavors of the World” showcase this diversity while supporting local business owners and hospitality professionals, who create jobs and contribute to the municipal economy.

The initiative aims to boost business activity, broaden leisure options, and encourage social interaction in public spaces.

Turismo de Gran Canaria has renewed its Biosphere seal, which assesses how an organization manages environmental, social, and economic sustainability. The 2026 review confirms that the organization meets the standards within the assessed scope. It does not, however, certify the entire island or all tourism businesses operating there.

The assessment reviews documentation and evidence of the measures implemented and highlights areas for improvement. To maintain the seal, Turismo de Gran Canaria must pass periodic reviews confirming continued compliance with the requirements.

The Biosphere program has 128 participating entities in Gran Canaria: 70 are “Committed,” the entry-level category; 54 are “Certified,” reflecting greater compliance with sustainability criteria; and four are still completing the certification process.

To become “Certified,” an entity must satisfy at least 50% of the criteria in each of the three assessed areas: environmental, social, and economic. Although the system is aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, certification neither confirms that an organization meets every goal nor indicates UN endorsement.

From October 15 to 18, the island laces up its hiking boots once again. The Gran Canaria Walking Festival offers a four-stage journey through the volcanic heart, laurel forests, and southeastern ravines, featuring local guides and stops to savor both the landscape and the island’s cuisine.

https://grancanariawalkingfestival.com/en/

There is a way of traveling that knows nothing of haste: traveling on foot. The Gran Canaria Walking Festival understands this well; for its 2026 edition, it once again bridges the gap between the walker and an island that protects nearly half its territory as a Biosphere Reserve. Over four days—from October 15 to 18, anyone eager to stretch their legs and broaden their horizons can join a journey that goes far beyond the usual sun-and-beach clichés.

Organized by Gran Canaria Natural & Active with the backing of the Island Council (Cabildo), the festival is neither a competition nor a race; it is an invitation to take in the landscape at a leisurely pace, accompanied by guides who know every twist and turn of the trail. Registration is now open, offering the choice of signing up for individual days or the full four-stage package. The service includes transport, insurance, guides, tastings of local flavors, and a few welcome surprises, though the exact price for 2026 has not yet been announced.

GCWF_2026_Programa_EN

The plan reserves 75% of new residential development for about 3,000 affordable homes.

Mogán’s new General Plan is open for public review and objections until November 30.

Replacing the 1987 regulations, it reserves 75% of new residential floor area for about 3,000 subsidized homes.

The requirement rises to 100% in parts of Arguineguín, Barranco de Mogán, and Veneguera, alongside Loma de Pino Seco.

Unanimously approved on September 4, the plan remains provisional pending review of comments and sectoral reports.

Consult it weekdays, 9:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m., at the Urban Planning Department, Calle Tamarán 4, Arguineguín.

It is also available on the municipal planning viewer; submit comments through the e-government portal.

Due to improvement works on the pedestrian walkway between Arguineguín and Patalavaca, there will be temporary traffic changes on the stretch roughly between the Sunwing Hotel and the Doñana complex in Patalavaca.

📅 From Monday, September 14, until the completion of the work

🕖 Hours: 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM

🚦TRAFFIC IMPACT

– The left lane of the GC-500—specifically the lane closest to the pedestrian walkway—will be closed in the section roughly between the Sunwing Hotel and the Doñana complex.

– The other lane will remain open, with alternating traffic flow regulated by traffic lights.

🚶PEDESTRIAN WALKWAY CLOSURE: For safety reasons, the walkway will remain closed.

Arguineguín welcomes La Marina Festival from September 11 to 13 with culture, music and gastronomy rooted in local identity.

Playa El Perchel in Arguineguín, Mogán, will host the second edition of La Marina Festival from Friday, September 11 to Sunday, September 13. The event expands this year to a three-day program while maintaining free admission for the public.

The festival will bring together live music, DJ sessions, gastronomy and leisure activities by the Atlantic. A key new feature is the addition of Sunday programming, designed as an afternoon gathering with activities especially aimed at families, including face painting, workshops and magic shows.

The line-up will include two international names associated with 1990s dance and Eurodance music: Robin S. and Culture Beat, who will bring some of the decade’s most recognizable tracks to Arguineguín.

Gastronomy will also play a larger role throughout the three-day festival. According to the organizers, the 2026 edition will feature twice as many food trucks as the previous edition, offering a varied selection of culinary options with a strong presence of local products, complemented by Canarian wines.

Culture Beat, the German group behind the international hit Mr. Vain, will also perform. The single reached number one in the United Kingdom and remained at the top of the official chart for four consecutive weeks.

Pilgrimage and Walk to See the Virgin of El Pino, September 7th and 8th.

Thousands of pilgrims walk to Teror to offer their vows to the Virgin of El Pino.

The patron saint of Gran Canaria was canonically crowned in 1905 and in 1914 was declared the principal patron saint of the Diocese of the Canary Islands (which includes the province of Las Palmas) by Pope Pius X.

The 9th Mogán Mango and Avocado Fair will take place on Sunday, September 6, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Avenida de Los Marreros in Playa de Mogán, bringing together the municipality’s agricultural, culinary, and craft sectors in a showcase of local tropical produce.

Following last year’s attendance of 10,000 visitors, the Town Hall expects to exceed that figure in 2026. To accommodate the anticipated turnout, the fair has been moved from the Castillete esplanade to Avenida de Los Marreros. This year’s edition will include 17 farmers’ stalls from the ravines of Veneguera, Mogán, and Arguineguín, along with 13 craft stalls, seven prepared-product stalls, and 12 food stalls. The municipality’s PFAE professional training programme for the restaurant sector will also take part.

During the event, approximately 5,000 kilos of mangoes of different varieties grown in the municipality, such as Hass, Valencia Pride, and Gomera, and about 4,500 kilos of avocados, mainly traditional summer varieties, will be available for purchase. This offering will be complemented by approximately 800 kilos of pineapple, 500 kilos of passion fruit, and nearly 1,000 kilos of pitaya, creating a comprehensive showcase of Mogán’s agricultural production.

The programme will also include seven stalls dedicated to processed products, such as jams, honey, cheese, and bread, together with 13 artisan booths featuring crafts from Mogán and other areas of Gran Canaria. Food stalls will offer pinchos and tapas prepared with mango and avocado as key ingredients.

The 9th Summer Mango and Avocado Fair in Playa de Mogán, scheduled for September 6, offers an opportunity to promote local agriculture while also drawing attention to the challenges facing the avocado market in the Canary Islands. Although the event highlights the value of locally grown produce, consumers and restaurant operators continue to report concerns over price, availability and consistent ripening. Since 1993, strict import restrictions have limited outside supply, a situation that some industry observers say has contributed to higher prices and reduced competitive pressure in the local market.

In response to strong demand and the difficulty of sourcing fruit at optimal ripeness, some hotels have increasingly turned to frozen avocado products. This option allows kitchens to maintain a predictable supply and a more consistent standard for buffets and restaurant service. Industry sources also point to recurring issues with fresh avocados that appear ripe externally but remain firm or unsuitable for immediate use, creating operational challenges for businesses that depend on reliable texture and presentation.

Against this backdrop, the fair organized by the Mogán City Council in collaboration with the Gran Canaria Island Council will take place on the pedestrian promenade of Avenida Los Marrero. The event is intended to celebrate the local agricultural sector and create a space for direct sales between farmers and consumers. Its broader impact, however, will depend on whether it can offer visitors a clear improvement in value, transparency and product quality compared with the conventional market, while reinforcing confidence in locally produced avocados.