“Front opposition” of the mayor of Vigo, Abel Caballero, to the possibility of establishing a tourist tax to access the Cíes Islands, in the Ría de Vigo. The possible charge has been put on the table as a result of a survey carried out by the Higher Council for Scientific Research (CSIC), attached to the Ministry of Science and Innovation, to visitors to this natural space belonging to the National Park of the Atlantic Islands.
The survey raises the possibility of charging between 2.5 and 5 euros to all visitors to finance various recovery programs for the flora and fauna of the national park, which is currently managed by the Xunta de Galicia. After having knowledge of the content, the councilor from Vigo has opposed “frontally”.
“It was what we were missing,” said the socialist mayor yesterday. “That we bring people from the City Council to the city and that when they go to the Cíes the Xunta charges them,” he protested, although the survey comes from an agency attached to the Government. Despite this, he reiterated the City Council's rejection of this type of supplements for visitors that are being implemented in other Spanish cities, and that in Galicia, so far, is only being studied in Santiago.
Abel Caballero appreciated, however, that it is only a survey. “I understand that this survey is only informative, for the purpose of making an assessment of what the environment means,” he indicated, immediately clarifying forcefully that “if the survey is for a tax, let them know that the Vigo City Council they are completely opposed to any tourist tax in the city and to any tourist tax in the Cíes Islands».
In Vigo, he insists, “we want tourism to mean people who come and capacity for employment and economic life in the tourism sector”, and they are not in favor of charging.
The mayor of Vigo focuses his criticism on the Xunta de Galicia despite the fact that the survey comes from a body dependent on the central government. “If it is for the Cíes, the park is managed by the Xunta,” he explains.
The Ministry of the Environment of the Xunta de Galicia clarifies that the survey is carried out by the central government through the CSIC and the Park staff only provides “collaboration”. This is a survey of users of maritime transport to Cíes.
In any case, this survey is part of the studies that are carried out periodically in all national parks by different organizations such as the Illas Atlánticas park itself, the Galician universities or the National Parks organization with the aim of «finding out the assessment of citizens regarding the conservation of natural heritage, including the economic cost it entails». Since 2004, the Illas Atlánticas National Park has carried out some 2,000 surveys every year “to find out the perception that visitors have of this natural space”.
Regarding the possible fee, the Galician Government stated that “the implementation of any type of supplement to access” the Cíes is not being studied. In addition, he insists that “admission is free by law.”
To visit the Cíes Islands, a free administrative authorization from the Xunta de Galicia is required.. In 2022, the archipelago received 330,000 visitors, 12% more than in 2021 and 58% more than in 2020, marked by the pandemic.