In the Canary Islands where the territory is one of the great environmental and social values, we have not hesitated for a moment to appropriate the same from the point of view of monetary concerns. Canary require ten to sustain current growth rates over time (Canary Islands,''the head of the corruption environment.''Canaries now. 15/10/1910) . Unflattering indicator of the future that awaits us if we continue with the current development model being promoted in the islands. A development model supported by the institutions that comprise the islands' society. And the government of the Canary Islands is no exception to sponsor a large number of measures in the developmental line. The so-called Tourist moratorium or Emergency Law have worked so hard in the process of providing economic value to the territory as a prelude to the creation of employment.
Question 1. Does the canary territory assume an added bonus of one million tourists?. In our view, no. Environmental indicators in the islands are very eloquent and shows that the load capacity of the territory has been exceeded. The rapid disappearance of farmland, pollution of aquifers and water scarcity, high pollution levels are recorded in major metropolitan areas, the damage suffered by our costs, loss of biodiversity in certain areas, etc, are some of the elements, suggests that an increase of one million tourists, away from deepen the well to bring environmental ruin the Canary Islands. A small sample, though representative, is the wear has already occurred in some areas of territory. (The Astrophysical lose 30 inches in three years by visitors. The Day 11/10/1910)
Question 2. "The evolution of tourist flows in the Canary Islands guarantees the arrival of 1 million tourists in one year? According ISTAC, in the period 2001-08 the average annual foreign tourists who came to the Canaries rose to 9.7 million. In those 8 years the period in which the community received more tourists Canary was 2001 with 10.2 million tourists. What the figures show this series until 2008 experienced a slight decline to 9.3 million and in 2006 when the islands reach only 164,852 tourists more than in the previous year, the most significant annual increase the entire series. These data should be added the flow of domestic tourists to have a complete picture but we could not find a reliable source for the same time period. In any case ISTAC data for the past 12 months indicate that from domestic tourism is adding about 18% a year earlier figures. These data could be showing that the roof of tourist reception is located about 12 million. Therefore attract a million tourists not only has not been possible in the last 8 years but this figure appears to be an impossible goal and totally unrealistic. A more typical of economies that are beginning to exploit the mass tourism of sun and beach leading economies and a period of time in the industry, the Canary Islands. Increasing that number would invest in more infrastructure for tourism which would face the limits of the territory. You can no longer take more number of tourists. We can move forward in quality (and desirable) but not in quantity.
Question 3. If we accept that it is possible to attract one million additional tourists in just one year "will be generated between 25,000 and 35,000 jobs? Hard to say. Certainly a million additional tourists would cause a significant multiplier effect in the economic machinery canaria, but the creation of so many new jobs depends not only on this factor. Tourism consumption produced by the flow of tourists will be an important factor. The type of services required that tourists visiting the islands. Looking at the figures, not always the equation to a greater number of tourists generated more employment. According to the document "2008 STUDY OF THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF TOURISM ON THE ECONOMY AND THE USE OF THE CANARY ISLANDS" , a study sponsored by the Ministry of Tourism of the Canary Islands, the year that more jobs are created in the tourism sector was 2007 with 320,000 jobs. A year in which, according to the ISTAC Canary visited 571,891 total passengers less than in 2006. Therefore, the creation of new jobs depends not only on the number of tourists visiting the islands. The quality and type of the services offered, the type of tourist who comes to the Canaries, the global economic situation, etc., are factors to be considered for employment to estimate a realistic figure.
The Canary Islands Prime Minister and Minister of tourism seem to point to this line of work when in the above study have signed a letter which indicated that:
"... the main structural challenge to facing the sector is the upgrading of part of its offer to suit the tastes and preferences of consumers every day better informed, more demanding and more choices, coupled with increased global competition. Hence, the future prosperity through sustainable tourism in the Canary Islands, is being waged in the pioneers renovation of destinations, adding new features more frequently associated with differential enjoy unique experiences and a commitment to talent as levers to ensure its continued attractiveness and better suited to the times. "
And while that result in quality levels of the sector, further urges tourism planning that takes into account the volume of waste generated, the amount of resources consumed and land carrying capacity to absorb such waste and replenish resources exhausted by the tourist flow. Know if the executive has a study on this. If there is, seems to remain in the background with statements by the President of the Canary Islands as the above, which shows very clearly the type of tourism on the commitment and the economic model that continues to underpin with obvious impairment of the territory, value and factor main tourist attraction.
therefore turn to detect, among the political class canaria, this double standard in which one side are the words and harangues and other real initiatives that have little or nothing to do with those. The institutions of these islands and other agents with projection media and whether public or private, should overcome this tendency to proclaim with obvious gratitude the number of jobs it would generate policy or another. We miss a more serious treatment of these issues by providing arguments to support these claims.
is the policy of headlines that is customary among the political class canary in a highly mediated society that gives political speeches game like this, empty and aimed to occupy the front pages of the press. It listed very high positive expectations for the future at a critical juncture where it needs to create hope for economic recovery. But the lack of a story connect with credible political citizenship to create a strong hope for recovery, is the biggest weakness is the current policy developed by the parties in government have again returned to stage a break in the covenant.
Photo 1: El Medano, Tenerife.
Photo 2: El Teide National Park of Las Cañadas, the most visited park in Spain