Antonio Hormiga calls out opacity at Fuerteventura Tourism Board, announces Moisés Jorge as new manager

Antonio Hormiga, president of ASOFUER, reiterated his dissatisfaction with the lack of communication between the Island Tourism Board of Fuerteventura and the tourism employers’ association he leads. In an interview on the radio program La Voz de Fuerteventura, he declared:

“For the Board, for a while now, we simply do not exist. We simply do not exist.”

He added that institutional dialogue is completely broken.

The rift, he said, intensified after the appointment process for the Board’s manager. Hormiga claims the appointment has been made effective even though:

“Officially they haven’t told me anything, but I think it’s already appointed. According to my information… that was the goal and it’s done.”

He recalled that the former manager, Moisés Jorge, initially did not meet the requirements in the previous selection process. Consequently:

“No manager was appointed; he was named an advisor, and then they invented this and it’s done.”

When asked about the procedure or any change in criteria, Hormiga admitted he does not know:

“I don’t know if the résumé was improved, I don’t know. If they held a special competition, I don’t know.”

The communication gap between the employers’ association and the Board became evident a few months ago during the Fuerteventura Tourism Distinguished Awards. ASOFUER representatives chose not to attend because of the Board’s “political maneuvers.”

Throughout the interview, Hormiga repeatedly emphasized that the core problem is not a single position but the total lack of communication. He noted that at fairs:

“They don’t speak to me, they don’t tell me… I hear about it from the companies.”

He contrasted this with his relationship with the regional Tourism Counselor, Jessica de León, whom he praised for the approval of the Vacation‑Housing Law and her management of tourism affairs.

Despite the distance with the Board, Hormiga affirmed that ASOFUER remains open to rebuilding bridges:

“I am always open to dialogue… but I will treat them according to how they treat me.”

Congress CEHAT: Tourism Must Get “More Involved in the Community”

Hormiga also spoke about his recent participation in the national CEHAT Congress in Cartagena, under the slogan “Let’s Care for the Destination.” Spanish tourism employers’ associations debated the sector’s new role and agreed that:

“It’s not only about exploiting the hotel… but also collaborating with the environment, engaging in social actions… getting more involved in the community.”

He explained that modern tourism demands sustainability, social responsibility, and a direct link to the territory because “tourism is a wealth for everyone.”

Risks of Stagnation and Loss of Competitiveness

Regarding Fuerteventura’s future, Hormiga noted that while tourism forecasts for 2026‑2027 are positive, growth will plateau, especially from 2027 onward. Competing destinations such as Morocco are aggressively building a hundred hotels along the Canary coasts, benefitting from lower labor costs.

Even without looking ahead, the Majorcan tourism employers’ association is already worried about the loss of tourist beds and the lack of new projects. The island, he warned, has been declining for years. He stated:

“There are fewer and fewer tourist beds… statistically there are fewer than before.”

Investments are fleeing a once‑coveted destination due to legal uncertainty. He added:

“Investors obviously don’t want problems. They leave. Money is very timid… it seeks tranquility and serenity.”

Hormiga warned that “we run the serious risk of ending up at the back of the queue, completely at the back.”

To improve the destination, he has long advocated for greater investment in tourism infrastructure—from beaches to avenues and promenades. He argued:

“We must invest more, prepare for the future… we need to take care of those beaches, those avenues, those promenades.”

He criticized the lack of projects in some municipalities, especially Antigua, which has not yet completed its anti‑fraud declaration and therefore “cannot apply for anything.” By contrast, he highlighted the work done in La Oliva, describing the northern corporation as “the best prepared in terms of projects.” He urged local bodies to be more ambitious and to submit proposals to tap into the Next Generation EU funds that are still arriving.

Conflict with Self‑Employed Workers, “Just With One”

The interview’s closing was dominated by a dispute with the spokesperson of a newly formed self‑employed collective in Fuerteventura, which is awaiting formal association status. On La Voz de Fuerteventura, Hormiga referred to self‑employed professionals as “crooks.” He later clarified and apologized:

“If anyone is affected, I’m sorry, but I was referring to the one who leads this.”

The acting president of the collective has been producing podcasts over recent weeks, accusing the tourism employers’ president of influence‑peddling and other issues, particularly over disagreements about establishments they both operate on La Galera beach in Corralejo.

During the collective’s launch at the Hotel El Mirador, its representative not only highlighted demands of self‑employed workers but also used the platform to criticize the tourism employers’ association and larger business organizations, prompting rebuttals.

Hormiga, without involving influencers, asserted that he has already filed a lawsuit against the collective’s leader, accusing him of operating “without a license” and employing “two or three illegal workers.” He lamented that the confrontation is “distorting” a legitimate workers’ movement and concluded by addressing the collective’s leader directly: “We’ll see each other in court.”