Fuerteventura Meets European Funding
The State Secretary of Tourism Confirms 80% Execution of the Destination Tourism Sustainability Plan
The President of the Island Council, Lola García, and the Tourism Councilor, Marlene Figueroa, welcomed today the State Secretary of Tourism, Rosario Sánchez, who verified, in a working meeting, the high level of implementation of projects aimed at the island’s sustainable transformation. The programme involves a total investment of €18.7 million funded by the Next Generation EU resources of Spain’s Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan.
The meeting was also attended by the Senator for Fuerteventura, Paloma Hernández, the Island Director of the Government Delegation, María Jesús de la Cruz, and other members of the Island Corporation. Afterwards they toured the protected landscapes of Vallebrón and Vallegrande, as well as the restored Casa del Coronel Market in La Oliva—projects financed under the Destination Tourism Sustainability Plan (PSTD) that enhance the island’s historic and cultural heritage.
“These are not just projects to improve the tourist experience; they are a multitude of actions to guarantee the future of Fuerteventura’s destinations and local businesses,” explained the State Secretary of Tourism. She added that this also ensures that tourism “is steered toward a more sustainable model, becomes a source of quality jobs and prosperity, and maintains a balance for the well‑being of the island’s men and women.”
“This is the largest public investment ever made in Spain for tourism, and it also applies to the island of Fuerteventura,” highlighted Rosario Sánchez, referring to the impact of the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan’s tourism investments.
President Lola García thanked the State Secretary for her visit and used the occasion to present the portfolio of ongoing projects.
“One of the priority lines of this Island Council is to work for the protection of our landscape, territory, and our identity as a people. This strategy must be transversal across all areas of the Island Corporation, as we see with the ‘Fuerte by Nature’ Destination Tourism Sustainability Plan, which includes actions throughout the entire island.”
In this sense, García also praised the coordination with the municipalities within the Fuerte by Nature plan, “which has allowed these actions to reach every town.”
Tourism Councilor Marlene Figueroa emphasized that the Island Corporation is firmly committed to efficient resource management, having achieved 80 % execution toward the island’s triple sustainability—economic, social, and environmental. She underscored that people are at the centre of tourism policies, with residents considered the direct beneficiaries.
Figueroa called on the State Secretary to continue close, coordinated, and ongoing collaboration with the island across various areas, including the Destination Tourism Development Plan (PDST), digitalisation and the creation of a smart destination with SEGITTUR, continuous quality improvement under the SICTED framework, and the promotion and positioning of Fuerteventura in source markets through TURESPAÑA.
From the Island Council, within the Destination Tourism Sustainability Plan (PDTS) “Fuerte by Nature,” projects worth €9,133,137 are being implemented across several sectors:
- Historic heritage restoration such as the Torre del Tostón, the Morro Velosa viewpoint, and the Casa del Coronel Market;
- Public infrastructure upgrades like the Avenida de Puerto del Rosario;
- Environmental enhancement including the rehabilitation of Vallebrón and Vallegrande and the naturalisation of the Saladar de Jandía.
Additional initiatives include:
- Development of a Big Data platform to monitor all socio‑economic and management indicators related to tourism;
- Investments in improved signage and smart tourist information points;
- Promotion of local consumption “Kilómetro 0”;
- Creation of a network of smart beaches;
- Upgrades to beach waste collection and water reuse systems;
- Installation of photovoltaic “Starlight” lighting and other sustainability measures.