Ben Magec - Ecologists in Action and Tagaragunche Association have presented on La Gomera a Popular Legislative Initiative for the renovation and containment of growth of the tourist accommodation facilities on the island. Ecologists argue that "the anticipated substantial increase in the accommodation facilities of La Gomera would result in a total insular population of 47.000 inhabitants, which means a totally exaggerated situation".

According to the head of communication of this ecologist association, Antonio Hernández, Ben Magec’s goal is to promote this initiative so that the law itself allows to halt the construction of new tourist beds in the archipelago, with the exception of rural tourism and urban hotels, in addition to promoting the rehabilitation and renovation of the existing accommodation facilities.

Hernández recalls that for the proposal to reach the Regional Parliament and be discussed by the deputies, it must be backed by at least 15.000 signatures from the Canarian citizens, although environmentalists estimate that over 50.000 names will be achieved until the official presentation.

Ecologists point out that the Canary Islands have already reached the figure of 550.000 touristic beds. In the particular case of La Gomera they indicate that the Island Council suggests in its Insular Plan the creation of 17.000 new beds until 2015, a figure that Tagaragunche describes as excessive and damaging to the entire south of the island, including the municipalities of San Sebastián de La Gomera, Alajeró and Valle Gran Rey.

In this regard, the representative of environmentalists on La Gomera, Rubén Martínez, noted that in the occurrence of this substantial increase in the accommodation facilities on the island "we would be talking about one touristic bed for every 1,3 inhabitants on La Gomera in 2015, and we would be talking about a total insular population of 47.000 inhabitants, which is a totally exaggerated situation".

Submitted by Ben Magec - Ecologists in Action and Tagaragunche Association