Recent decisions by the Council of Ministers regarding Spain’s airport network have sparked a mix of relief and scepticism from the Hotel and Extra-Hotel Association of Tenerife, La Palma, La Gomera, and El Hierro (Ashotel). The association welcomed the freeze on Aena’s planned fee increases but expressed concern over the proposed investment package for Tenerife’s terminals, questioning the timelines for execution after over a decade of unmet demands.
The central government has halted initial plans by the airport management to raise fees by more than 4%, settling instead on a modest increase of 0.33%. Ashotel’s president, Jorge Marichal, stated this move prevents “significant loss of competitiveness in Spanish airports.” He noted that limiting the rise in fees could help airlines, currently affected by geopolitical factors and rising fuel prices, manage the upcoming seasons more effectively.
While Ashotel recognises the broader impact of rising costs on the economy, it argues for larger strategic decisions from the state. Marichal pointed out that adjusting profit margins in semi-public companies like Aena could lead to substantial revenue growth from tourism taxes, underscoring ‘tourism as a key driver of Spain’s economy’ and job creation.
Conversely, the sector is concerned about physical infrastructure. The government has earmarked €553 million for Tenerife Sur airport and an additional €313 million for Tenerife North-Los Rodeos. While Ashotel acknowledges this capital injection as significant, it warns that the total seems inadequate given the historical neglect of these facilities. Data from the end of 2025 shows that Tenerife Sur ranked as the seventh-busiest airport nationally, handling nearly 14 million passengers and 92,300 flight operations. Tenerife North was twelfth, with 7.1 million travellers and 87,000 operations.
The main complaint from hoteliers revolves around delays in official timelines. Marichal lamented that projects are split between the current and upcoming Airport Regulation Document (DORA), causing significant slowdowns. As such, Ashotel remains wary of the government’s announcements, stressing the urgent need to implement these projects without further delays. “We will only be truly at ease once we see that the announced investment plans are progressing and contracts are executed,” stated Marichal.
