🚢 Modernising Los Cristianos: Tenerife’s Inter‑Island Gateway to Become an Excursion Hub

The Ministry of Transport has unveiled ambitious plans to transform the port of Los Cristianos in Tenerife—a crucial gateway for inter‑island travel—into a modern, efficient terminal capable of handling excursions with ease. The project features a brand‑new passenger terminal and two levels of parking expansion designed to reduce congestion, improve voyage times, and streamline ferry services across the western Canary Islands: La Gomera, El Hierro, and La Palma.

---

🔧 Project Highlights: A Port Fit for Excursion Traffic

• Demolition of the outdated terminal, replaced by a sleek, contemporary building designed for high-capacity passenger flow.

• Two‑storey parking facility: Ample space for excursion vehicles, coaches, and visitors.

• Subterranean entrance to the port, eliminating a dangerous left‑turn bottleneck and reducing traffic backups at the port entrance.

These changes are intended not only to enhance safety, but also to bolster Los Cristianos’ role as the island’s primary excursion and ferry hub.

---

🎙 Political Backdrop: Why Now?

The upgrades were revealed in response to a question from Senator Fabián Chinea (Gomera Socialist Group, ASG), who has long advocated for port improvements. According to Chinea, the current state of the port creates delays and frequently disrupts excursion schedules—a major pain point for both tourists and locals.

A €168,000 tender has already been issued to redesign the land-side area, and 416 m² of additional dock space is planned to streamline docking procedures and access for excursion ferries.

---

⚠ Status, Challenges & Debate

❌ There is no confirmed start date for construction—despite growing urgency.

🧾 The broader debate includes two proposals:

1. Expand the current port infrastructure at Los Cristianos, supported by Coalición Canaria.

2. Build a new port at Fonsalía, favoured by the Partido Popular.

A civil engineering report from Santa Cruz de Tenerife found both options would improve ferry excursions, though each comes with trade-offs in cost, environmental impact, and operational feasibility.

---

🌍 Local Friction: Island Leaders at Odds

Recent tensions have flared between local officials:

• La Gomera’s president, Casimiro Curbelo, has called for an August protest to push for port improvements.

• An open exchange of criticism arose with Tenerife’s president, Rosa Dávila, over delays and lack of decisive progress.

Despite the friction, there have been no official joint discussions involving:

• The Port Authority,

• Tenerife’s and Canary Islands’ Cabildos,

• The Spanish government, or

• Arona local council.

---

💬 Urgent Call to Action

Chinea has been clear:

“Los Cristianos cannot continue to be a bottleneck for inter‑island transport. It’s time for real action to build a modern excursion hub that serves our people.”

Meanwhile, Curbelo urges the Canary Islands government to coordinate with ferry operators to redesign sailing timetables, which frequently overlap and exacerbate congestion during peak excursion seasons.

---

🚀 Why This Matters—And Why “Excursion” Is Key

1. Tourism optimization: As Tenerife attracts more day‑trippers and excursion‑oriented visitors, port capacity must match demand.

2. Safety and efficiency: Designed features like structured entry points and expanded parking will reduce queue congestion and minimise risks.

3. Economic benefit: Modern infrastructure enhances island-to-island accessibility—boosting excursion-related economy.

4. Sustainable transport: Properly managed excursion flow aligns with goals for greener, more organised ferry operations.

---

✅ Summary Table

By addressing these core issues, Tenerife is poised to elevate Los Cristianos into a premier excursion port—serving both locals and visitors better while supporting sustainable island mobility.