Officials in the Canary Islands have held a meeting to tackle problems such as illegal taxis, hotel squatters and unauthorised street vendors. José Miguel Rodríguez Fraga, Mayor of Adeje, a town in Tenerife, brought local officials together to formulate a plan to ensure that the area “remains a safe place to live and visit.”
Issues such as squatting are on the rise across Spain with 16,426 incidents recorded across the country last year. The country’s tourist region, with their large hotel complexes, have been targeted by squatters, leading authorities to develop plans to counter the rise in incidents. Mayor Fraga said: “Our main concern right now is the illegal occupation of the Hotel Callao Sport in Callao Salvaje, and the problems it’s causing locally.”
The hotel has been responsible for more than 160 police call outs this year alone for issues such as theft, arson attempts, gender violence, and fights.
A recent inspection by social services revealed 24 children and three pregnant women amongst those living inside.
Mayor Fraga added: “We’ve maintained a 24-hour joint police presence at the site, and although this is a judicial matter, Adeje Town Hall will continue to act wherever possible.”
The hotel is one of over 200 illegal dwelling sites in the town of Adeje alone which have resulted in instances of fly-tipping, environmental damage, and even the informal selling of land.
The town has also seen a rise in unauthorised street vendors, with authorities forced to carry out 28 interventions already this year with vendors selling fake goods.
The issues within Adeje a part of a wider clampdown on law breakers attempting to make unauthorised profits from visitors to the popular island destination.
Police officers on the island have been forced to intensify inspections at Tenerife South Airport amid a surge in “illegal transport services” operating at one of its airports.
According to the Councillor for Security, Candelaria Rodríguez, Tenerife South handles between 30,000 and 40,000 passengers a day, rising to as many as 60,000 during peak season. As a result, much of the island’s transport services converge at this location.
“Irregular practices confuse tourists, damage the destination’s image, and offer a poor-quality service that does not reflect the standards expected of a first-class international airport,” she added, reported Canarian Weekly.