Is there a tourist tax in Tenerife?

As of October 2026, there is no general tourist tax in Tenerife: hotels and apartments do not add a per-night charge, and the Canary Islands have no region-wide tourist tax. What has changed is that non-residents now pay to access some protected natural sites, most notably the main hiking trails up Mount Teide (since January 2026) and the Barranco de Masca gorge (since 2024).

This is a fast-moving topic, so check the latest before you travel.

The short answer

Charge	Applies in Tenerife?	Who pays	Approx. cost
Overnight tourist tax on accommodation	No	—	—
Teide summit trail fee	Yes, since 19 January 2026	Non-residents of Tenerife; under-14s exempt	Around €6–15 depending on trail and time
Masca gorge access fee	Yes, since July 2024	Non-residents of Tenerife	€28 adult / €14 child (2024 rate) plus IGIC
IGIC (Canarian sales tax)	Yes	Everyone, built into prices	7% general rate

Mount Teide trail fees

The Cabildo de Tenerife, the island council, introduced fees for non-residents to use the main trails towards the summit of Teide in January 2026. The aim is to manage visitor numbers and fund conservation in the national park.

As reported at launch:

• Telesforo Bravo trail (the final path to the summit from the top of the cable car): around €15 for visitors from outside the Canary Islands.
• Montaña Blanca–La Rambleta trail: around €6 on weekdays and €10 at weekends and holidays for visitors from outside the Canaries.
• Residents of Tenerife: free.
• Residents of other Canary Islands: reduced rates.
• Children under 14: exempt.

Bookings are made online through the Cabildo’s Tenerife ON platform, with time slots. The summit path has long required a permit with strict daily limits, so book well ahead.

The Teide cable car is separate. It is a privately operated attraction with its own ticket. Simply driving through the national park, stopping at viewpoints or visiting the Roques de García remains free.

Prices and booking arrangements may change. Check the official sites before you go and see our Mount Teide guide.

Masca gorge fee

Since July 2024, hiking the Barranco de Masca requires a pre-booked, named ticket. At launch, the fee for non-residents was €28 per adult and €14 per child (plus IGIC), covering visitor centre check-in, trail monitoring, first aid, accident insurance and a loan helmet. Tenerife residents go free.

The boat from the bottom of the gorge back to Los Gigantes is a separate cost. The trail has operated with limited days, daily caps and a minimum age, and access to Masca village by car has at times been restricted in favour of shuttle buses. See our Masca guide for current arrangements.

Why there is no general tourist tax (yet)

Tourist taxes are common elsewhere in Spain, notably in the Balearic Islands and Catalonia, and the idea has been debated in the Canary Islands for years, especially amid protests over mass tourism and housing. The regional government has so far chosen not to introduce one.

Instead, the approach in Tenerife has been targeted charges at specific overcrowded natural sites. Elsewhere in the Canaries, the municipality of Mogán in Gran Canaria introduced a small per-person, per-night charge in 2025, but that applies only in that municipality, not in Tenerife.

IGIC: the tax you already pay

The Canary Islands don’t use Spanish VAT. Instead they have IGIC, a local sales tax with a general rate of 7 per cent, compared with 21 per cent VAT on the mainland. It’s included in most prices you see, and it’s one reason why eating, drinking and fuel can be cheaper in Tenerife. See Tenerife prices.

Other charges you might meet

Beyond Teide and Masca, a few other costs can look like a tourist tax but aren’t:

• Parking fees at busy viewpoints, beaches and town centres.
• Entry tickets for privately run attractions and some museums.
• Bookable access for certain protected trails and forest areas, which may be free but limited in number.
• Resort fees or cleaning fees on some holiday rentals, which are set by the owner, not the government.

What to check before you travel

• Your booking terms. If a hotel ever starts collecting a tax, it will usually be stated in the booking or charged on arrival.
• Official Cabildo announcements for Teide, Masca and other natural sites.
• Excursion inclusions. Some guided hikes and tours include access fees in the price; others don’t.

Spending your savings

With no nightly tax to pay, there’s a little more for evenings out. Many bars in the south put on live music, tribute acts and karaoke with no cover charge; see DoTenerife’s free entertainment tonight listings, or browse things to do in Tenerife for daytime ideas.