Jesús Machín is the Cabildo’s Councillor for Tourism Planning. A native of Tinajo with a background in renewables, he’s one of the younger generation of Lanzarote politicians attempting to strike the balance between growth and sustainability. We spoke to him last month.
What does your job involve?
Well, I’m in charge of tourist planning but also territorial planning, so there’s a balance to be struck. Simply put, my job is to establish the limits of tourism according to the Canarian Government’s Tourism law. I don’t award construction licences or anything like that.
What are your views on the “eco tax”, or tourist tax, that has been demanded by those protesting against the effects of mass tourism?
If it was up to me, I’d have probably introduced it already, but introduction of a tax like that is not our responsibility here at the Cabildo – it would be the Canarian Government’s decision. However, I think “eco tax” is a bad name. I look at the queues at Timanfaya and see the problems we have with overcrowding, and ask myself “Why do Tinajo residents have to suffer more than others? That’s why I think tourists should also have to contribute to the upkeep of the island.
How are you dealing with the pressure on certain attractions?
From the end of August the carparks at Montaña Colorada, Volcán del Cuervo and Montaña Blanca will be closed permanently. They had been causing problems with congestion and potentially dangerous situations, so we’ll be running a bus shuttle service to these spots instead. We already piloted this project successfully during the Easter holidays.
Are holiday lets a problem on the island?
Yes, and we’ve managed to close down 133 VVs (viviendas vacacionales) that did not comply with the law this year. There were no checks previously.
But hundreds of VV licences have also been approved in the run-up to the new Canarian holiday rental law.
The law is not in force yet. When it is, it’ll be up to Ayuntamientos to control VVs in their areas.
What other problems does tourism face?
One of the main problems is the lack of an Island plan. The existing one was approved in 1991, almost 35 years ago. It’s completely out of date.
Social media is also a problem – we’ve seen how Instagram and other social media sites can damage a place like Las Grietas, and there are other places that I’d hate to see publicised in the same way. It’s important not to publicise all our attractions.
What is your response to the demonstrations against mass tourism? I’m pretty sympathetic, but we should be realistic that we’ll never get rid of tourism on Lanzarote. We should try to diversify our economy, but tourism will always be an important element. That’s why we shouldn’t demonise it, but nor should we give it a free pass.
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