LEARNING FROM COVID IN THE CANARY ISLANDS. FISHING-TOURISM AS A PROPOSAL FOR ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATION IN TENERIFE

ABSTRACT

Massive sun and beach tourism has shown a clear trend towards outsourcing and deterioration of economic diversity. This economic specialization can lead to an excessive dependence on tourist activity, highly exposed to unforeseen phenomena. The context of the Canary Islands can be considered a paradigmatic case in this sense, having suffered devastating consequences from the COVID-19 crisis. The absorption of the primary sector by tourism has affected its adaptive capacity, worsening the socio-environmental impacts of the pandemic. Among the strategies that can contribute to rethinking the current model, this work proposes the implementation of a product that articulates traditional fishing with tourism in Tenerife. The recent Canary Islands Fisheries Law may become an opportunity to expand the levels of resilience of the destination through economic diversification and the empowerment and revitalization of fishermen.