UK tourists heading to the Canary Islands will not face a compulsory tourist tax, as the regional government has launched a voluntary contribution scheme instead. The Canary Islands Tourism Regeneration and Nature Restoration Fund (RegNext) invites visitors to make optional donations online to fund environmental and community projects.
The decision follows months of speculation about a mandatory levy, similar to those in other Spanish and European destinations. The RegNext programme aims to address pressures from a record 18.39 million visitors last year, with local protests highlighting concerns over affordable housing, resource strain, and sustainable tourism.
Donations will support habitat restoration, biodiversity conservation, emissions reduction, climate resilience, landscape improvements, and affordable housing initiatives. The government promises full transparency, allowing donors to track the impact of their contributions.
Five pilot projects will be selected initially—one on each of the most visited islands and a cross-cutting social project. Major travel companies including easyJet holidays, Jet2.com, Jet2holidays, and TUI have already backed the scheme, integrating it into the booking process.
Tourism Minister Jessica de León stated that RegNext aims to make tourism an active force for environmental and social regeneration. The Spanish tourist office emphasised that the voluntary approach avoids increasing holiday costs while providing a transparent mechanism for measurable outcomes.
