A long-awaited new set of regulations for “outdoor tourist accommodation” has been welcomed by campervan owners across the Canary Islands, with campaigners saying it could finally pave the way for much-needed campsites and motorhome facilities after more than 30 years without clear rules.

However, while the proposed legislation is being hailed as a major breakthrough, motorhome groups warn that it will not solve the islands' biggest problem overnight – the severe lack of infrastructure for travellers touring by campervan or motorhome.

ACAT - the Association of Ecological Motorhomes and Approved Campers of the Canary Islands has described the new regulations as a significant step forward and hopes they will come into force in September.

A long-overdue change

ACAT says it worked closely with the Canary Islands Government's Department of Tourism throughout the drafting process and believes the new framework will finally provide legal certainty for a sector that has been operating without specific regulations for three decades.

Speaking to Atlántico Hoy, ACAT secretary José Domingo Rodríguez said that 33 of the 55 pages in the first draft included proposals submitted by the association.

He described the legislation as "absolutely essential", arguing that the previous legal vacuum had made it extremely difficult to develop new outdoor accommodation projects across the islands.

Infrastructure still badly needed

Despite welcoming the new rules, ACAT stresses that the Canary Islands remain well behind other destinations when it comes to facilities for motorhome tourism.

According to Rodríguez, there are only a handful of private campsites throughout the archipelago, leaving very limited options for visitors travelling by campervan or motorhome.

The association believes the biggest benefit of the new regulations will be to encourage investment in new infrastructure, including campsites, simple overnight stopping areas, designated camping zones and environmentally friendly service points for touring vehicles.

Removing the legal uncertainty should make it far easier for developers and local authorities to create facilities that have been difficult to approve until now.

More than just traditional campsites

The Tenerife Cabildo has also been involved during the approval process and says the new regulations go well beyond traditional campsites.

Silvestre García, head of the Cabildo's Technical Tourism Service, explained that the new decree introduces several types of outdoor tourist accommodation, including dedicated motorhome areas, overnight parking zones and different categories of campsites, each with specific requirements based on factors such as size and available services.

However, García also pointed out that the new regulations will not remove existing planning requirements. Any new developments will still need to go through the appropriate urban planning procedures, including being declared projects of public and social interest, with approval required from both local councils and the island's Cabildo.

While the regulations are expected to unlock future investment, motorhome groups say that creating enough facilities to meet growing demand will take time. For now, they see the new legal framework as an important first step towards making the Canary Islands a more welcoming destination for motorhome and campervan tourism.