Tenerife Magazine’s round up of some of the most interesting news stories of the week in Tenerife.
El Hierro Eruption Update
Another week of earth tremors on El Hierro with 93 being registered on Sunday. Only a few of these have been felt on the surface as many occur at least 20km below ground. The biggest of yesterday’s tremors registered 3.9 on the Richter scale. What this means has scientists divided with some claiming the tremors could be as a result of the land settling following the undersea eruption off the coast of El Hierro. Others believe that there is some evidence to suggest that there is the possibility of another undersea eruption developing to the north of El Hierro.
Meanwhile the undersea volcano near La Restinga continues to spew pyroclasts into the sea some of which have been reported as reaching the surface still glowing.
A Trip to Parque GarcÃa Sanabria Could Make Your Children Sick
A visit to Santa Cruz’ favourite park is potentially dangerous for the young ones according to Professor James Nogué. At a Conference on Clinical Toxicology in Santa Cruz, the good professor pointed out that at least two of the plants in the park (Nerium Oleander & Thevetia peruriana) were toxic and that eating their flowers and leaves could lead to vomiting and diarrhoea. This was a worry to the professor as children are apparently prone to stuffing any flower they come across into their gobs because they look pretty and smell sweet. Allowing your children to chew on any plant they come across in a public garden seems like a recipe for a display of projectile vomiting. Flower munching should be be left to the sheep and goats. Come to think of it did he say children…or kids?
Goodbye to Tenerife
Apparently the author Christopher Isherwood finished his novel Mr Norris Changes Trains whilst staying in a small hotel in La Orotava. Mr Norris Changes Trains is often included in a collection of Isherwood’s writing called The Berlin Stories which includes Goodbye to Berlin ““ better known to many by the name of its movie adaptation Cabaret.
Do Something different on Tenerife ““ Take Part in a Political Protest
Here’s a new angle about something to do on holiday ““ political tourism. Head into Santa Cruz on the 12th November for the demonstration against the proposed controversial and environmentally dodgy Port of Granadilla (ironically situated next to the bio-climactic village that has been heralded on some green eco travel sites as evidence of Tenerife’s move to embracing green tourism). The protest takes place on Avenida Anaga from midday. Afterwards you can even explore the city; a case of sightseeing and doing something good for Tenerife’s environment in one outing.
Tourism on Tenerife is on the Up
Whilst the dark shadow of another (continuing) recession hangs over the world, it’s smiles and back-slapping on Tenerife as tourist figures continue to look much healthier than last year.
Between June and September official statistics show a 7.3% increase in visitors to Tenerife over the summer months. British holidaymakers registered a huge 21.4% increase. But the biggest increase comes from Eastern Europe with the Russian market increasing by 32.2%.
The upwards trend has affected both north and south areas of the island with the south enjoying an 8.9% increase and the north, after 3 years of registering a downward trend, registering a 3.4% in visitors.
The only negative was the amount of Spanish visitors to Tenerife whose numbers dropped by 9.4% over the summer.
And the reasons for this optimistic surge? Politicians will claim innovative tourist policies (attending travel fairs and the like) and interventions. But we know the real reason that British visitors are at the top of Tenerife’s tourist tree”“ an absolutely shocking summer in Britain.
And finally the TIT (This Is Tenerife) of the week award goes to”¦The Guardian & Observer Travel Awards
This prestigious event took place on Tenerife recently when the great and the good of the travel industry descended on Tenerife in their shiny evening gowns and sleek DJs…not that the world outside of the island would know much about Tenerife’s role in events.
Some of the local press on Tenerife have described the awards as being ‘a huge success for Tenerife.” At Tenerife Magazine we have to disagree (we make a habit of not running with the pack).
Despite all the stops being pulled out by the Cabildo and Tenerife Tourist Board and despite the fact that guests were ‘treated’ to trips around the island, there was nary a mention online. There were certainly no travel articles praising the island. Nada.
This glitzy event organised by Guardian and Observer rewarded Tenerife’s hospitality with deafening silence. The island may benefit by having adverts in the Guardian and Observer but it’s not quite the same as having positive reports about the island from some of those who attended. It’s almost as though those involved were embarrassed to mention they had actually stayed on Tenerife.
This isn’t the first time that an event on Tenerife involving the travel press has generated very little post-event publicity and the chances are it won’t be the last. Part of this is possibly down to naivety on the part of Tenerife’s officials and politicians (we don’t believe they fully appreciate the image that Tenerife has amongst the travel press in the UK). But ultimately there’s no excuse for treating the hospitality of your hosts with what appears to be disdain.
By not even acknowledging that the awards took place on Tenerife in their Travel Awards 2011 Winners” article, that’s exactly what the Guardian and Observer did.
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