Cabildo Recognizes Fuerteventura's Excellence with 2025 Distinguished Tourism Awards

The Playa de Oro awards were presented to Bodegas Conatvs, the Catamaran Excursion Group, María Alonso del Pino Brito and Holger Ziechert for their loyalty to Fuerteventura

The marina of Caleta de Fuste, in the municipality of Antigua, served as the setting for the 2025 Distinguished Tourism Gala of Fuerteventura. The night celebrated the achievements of four awardees honored for their trajectory, quality, and tourism initiatives, coinciding with International Tourism Day.

The event was preceded by a cultural showcase in the bay of Caleta de Fuste, highlighting the area as a key tourist zone of the island. Homage was paid to Francisca Calero (Frasquita), a pioneering entrepreneur whose hometown has become one of Fuerteventura’s most prominent tourist destinations. The gala also remembered Ángel Jove Capellán, the late founder of the El Ba hotel chain and the Atlántico Shopping Center.

Subsequently, the President of the Cabildo of Fuerteventura, Lola García, and the Tourism Counselor, Marlene Figueroa, highlighted the awards that recognize the work of tourism professionals who make Fuerteventura a quality, environmentally‑respectful destination aligned with the island’s sustainable tourism model.

“This gathering pays tribute to those who, through their work, make Fuerteventura a truly quality tourist destination. It is essential to make visible the work of our professionals and to reflect, at the same time, on the tourism model we want for Fuerteventura—one that can create jobs, dynamize the local economy, and improve the quality of life of those of us who live here,” said Lola García.
She also thanked the coordination between the Cabildo and every municipal council on the island.

“The awardees are justly deserving of these distinctions, demonstrating with their good work the excellence of the tourism sector in Fuerteventura,” noted Marlene Figueroa. She added that the island’s future hinges on a strategy “that must involve entrepreneurs, workers, and major institutions to foster greater sustainability and ensure that the benefits are distributed across the island.”

Antigua’s mayor, Matías Peña, emphasized that “celebrating the awards in Caleta de Fuste is also a distinction for this tourist locality that I always appreciate.” He continued: “We congratulate and thank the contribution of the outstanding companies and remember that well‑planned tourism develops in parallel with the improvement of residents’ lives, insisting that it is our customs, products, and traditions that identify us, not the other way around.”

The ceremony then presented the coveted Playa de Oro awards. Mayor Peña handed the “Blue Destination” prize to the Catamaran Excursion Group, recognizing its commitment to marine sustainability and its role in diversifying the island’s tourism offer. Founded in 2013 in Caleta de Fuste, the company has pioneered innovative maritime and sports leisure, helping position Fuerteventura as a leading nautical destination in the Canary Islands.

The “Client” category of the Playa de Oro went to Holger Ziechert, a German tourist who, since 1977, has visited the island more than 150 times over 48 years. The award was presented by the Canary Islands Government’s Tourism Counselor, Jessica de León, acknowledging his loyalty and affection for Fuerteventura, which he celebrates in two books: Mi Fuerteventura antes y ahora and Mi Aldiana Club Fuerteventura.

The “Company” award was given to Bodegas Conatvs of Lajares, a benchmark in inland tourism with a strong rural identity. It is the first winery on Fuerteventura registered in the Protected Designation of Origin “Islas Canarias,” blending high‑quality wine production with tourism experiences rooted in knowledge, sustainability, and local culture.

In the “Individual Trajectory” category, María Alonso del Pino Brito, owner and manager of the restaurant La Jaula de Oro in Ajuy, was honored. President Lola García presented the award to this family‑run establishment, founded in the 1950s and now a culinary and social reference for the municipality. For 27 years, María del Pino has championed quality and sustainability through zero‑kilometer products, turning the restaurant into a meeting point for residents and visitors alike.

With these recognitions, the Cabildo of Fuerteventura underscores the importance of a tourism model that generates local employment, energizes the island’s economy, preserves the territory, and enhances the quality of life for its residents.