The hotel association, Ashotel, has cautiously welcomed the Spanish government’s decision to limit the increase in airport operator Aena’s fees to 0.33% for this year, down from an initially planned rise of over 4%. However, Ashotel, led by Jorge Marichal, is urging the central government to immediately commence the 866 million euro investment projects for Tenerife’s two airports, which have been delayed for over a decade.
The tourism sector on the island highlights that controlling these fees helps maintain competitiveness in a challenging international environment for airlines, affected by geopolitical instability and rising fuel costs. According to the association, stabilizing fees will support upcoming tourism campaigns in the archipelago.
Canary Islands airports rely on the Airport Regulation Document (DORA) to align infrastructure with actual traveler demand, a crucial economic driver supporting employment and tax revenue in the region. Ongoing delays in modernizing these facilities have strained operations during peak tourist periods, especially in southern Tenerife.
Jorge Marichal, Ashotel’s president, asserts that the government’s decision underscores tourism’s vital role in Spain’s economy, driving growth and quality job creation. The association appreciates the reduced margins in semi-public operations, which ultimately yield higher returns through sector-generated taxes.
The state plan allocates 553 million euros to Tenerife South Airport and 313 million euros to Tenerife North-Los Rodeos Airport. Nonetheless, Ashotel believes the total funding is insufficient given the long-standing demand for improvements, and regrets that actions are spread across the current and next DORA periods.
The association warns that peace of mind will only come once official contract tenders are published and work begins on the ground.
Passenger numbers underscore the hotel sector’s call for swift action. According to Aena’s official data, Tenerife South Airport handled nearly 14 million passengers and 92,300 operations in 2025, ranking it as the seventh busiest in Spain and one of the most profitable. Meanwhile, Tenerife North-Los Rodeos saw 7.1 million travelers and 87,000 operations, placing it 12th among Spain’s 48 airports. With these figures, the association insists that the islands cannot delay updating their main entry points any longer.
