The Government of the Canary Islands has taken a significant step towards ending the legal limbo surrounding campsites, caravanning and motorhome activities across the archipelago. A draft regulation, welcomed by all parties involved, has now entered a period of public consultation.
At a press conference, the regional Minister of Tourism and Employment, Jéssica de León, together with representatives from various camping and caravanning associations, hailed the draft as a major milestone that will now be refined with input from the public.
The Director General for Tourism Planning, Miguel Ángel Rodríguez, emphasised that the regulation will provide legal certainty for all involved — caravanners, entrepreneurs and public authorities — while also introducing much-needed planning measures to help protect the islands’ fragile natural environment.
Until now, these forms of tourism have not been specifically addressed in the Canary Islands’ tourism legislation. As a result, the new regulation introduces the concept of “outdoor tourist accommodation establishments”, giving this activity a distinct legal status for the first time.
Rodríguez stressed that “free camping can no longer be the reality in the Canary Islands”, calling the new rules a cornerstone for the archipelago’s evolving tourism model. The focus will be on planning, environmental evaluation, clear rules, accessibility, and competitive, well-managed spaces.
Although free camping has technically already been prohibited, enforcement has been inconsistent due to gaps in knowledge or regulation among local authorities. This new framework aims to clearly define each type of site and provide robust legal safeguards.
“We could not remain in a state of administrative vacuum any longer regarding such a popular activity among the Canarian population,” Rodríguez said, adding that successive governments had effectively turned their backs on the issue for too long.
For the first five years after the regulation comes into force, local councils will be allowed to set up designated areas that, while not officially classified as tourist accommodation establishments, will permit regulated camping activities in an organised manner. Outside of these designated areas, however, camping will be strictly prohibited.
Hotel-style categories and a flexible points system
The regulation also introduces a flexible classification system for these facilities, similar to the hotel star rating system, allowing each island to set its own criteria for awarding stars to campsites and overnight areas. A points system will reward facilities for additional services such as swimming pools, on-site shops, leisure activities, or site size, among other factors.
“This model gives entrepreneurs the freedom to design the best facilities based on their location and tourist demand,” Rodríguez explained.
The Canary Islands Tourism Inspectorate will oversee compliance with the standards set out in the regulation, while land-use violations will fall under the jurisdiction of the relevant regional ministry or, where applicable, the island councils (Cabildos).
Minister de León described the initiative as “the birth of a new type of tourism in the archipelago”, thanking the various caravanning and camping associations for months of collaboration that led to a “consensual text”.
Representing these groups, José Domingo Rodríguez of ACAT Canarias and Jesús Gallardo of the Plataforma de Autocaravanas Autónoma (PACA) praised the proposal as the “first brick in a wall we must all build together to create a network similar to that found on the Spanish mainland.”
They emphasised that the law, developed within the islands themselves, is “neither discriminatory nor arbitrary”, and marks significant progress for a sector that has long lacked a proper regulatory framework.
