Saturday, July 26, 2025
Mirador de Chipeque, located successful nan scenic La Orotava region of Tenerife, stands astatine a stupendous 1,800 meters supra oversea level, offering immoderate of nan island’s astir breathtaking earthy views. From this elevation, visitors are treated to enchanting panoramas of Mount Teide, Spain’s highest peak, arsenic good arsenic nan oversea of clouds that often engulfs nan land during sunsets. The viewpoint has agelong been a soothing destination for quality lovers, photographers, and those seeking a solitary flight successful nan midst of Tenerife’s volcanic landscapes.
However, nan increasing fame of Mirador de Chipeque has travel pinch immoderate important challenges. Due to societal media platforms for illustration Instagram and TikTok, nan viewpoint has go 1 of nan astir viral destinations connected nan island. Picturesque clicks and clips of nan sweeping vistas often spell viral, starring to a dependable watercourse of visitors flocking to nan area each day. While this has connected 1 manus led to economical benefits for section businesses, nan influx of excessively galore visitors has started to overwhelm nan small, erstwhile quiet spot, causing a scope of issues for some nan greenary astir and nan section community.
The Surge of Mass Tourism
The surge successful tourism astatine Mirador de Chipeque has brought on a assortment of logistical and information challenges. On a regular basis, nan TF-21 road, which leads to nan viewpoint, becomes congested pinch traffic, arsenic hundreds of cars cram up nan constrictive lane starring up to nan site. The sheer number of visitors has created bottlenecks, and nan forbidden parking successful nan area has blocked entree for emergency services, posing a superior information risk. Furthermore, visitors often disregard and disregard information norms, mounting up picnics, coolers, camping chairs, and tables successful protected areas, importantly altering nan earthy ambiance of nan space. This blatant disregard for nan protected situation not only disrupts nan wide ambience but besides contributes to nan degradation of nan site.
Locals person been vocal successful voicing their concerns complete nan detrimental changes that person taken spot astatine nan viewpoint, pinch galore lamenting nan nonaccomplishment of what was nan halfway worth to nan place: its quiet, serene existence, nan treatment consciousness of calm it erstwhile offered. Social media influencers and visitors who travel to nan area often place nan delicate equilibrium that exists successful quality and nan value of preserving it for early generations. What was erstwhile a serene retreat for locals and visitors alike has transformed into a bustling, overcrowded destination, wherever nan earthy beauty is overshadowed by nan changeless watercourse of visitors.
Environmental Degradation and Fire Risks
One of nan astir pressing concerns surrounding Mirador de Chipeque’s overtourism is nan effect it has connected nan environment. The area, erstwhile a pristine earthy landscape, is now littered pinch discarded near down by visitors. In 1 day alone, section volunteers collected complete 200 discarded cigaret butts, plastics, bedewed wipes, and nutrient wrappers. This discarded is not only unsightly but besides harmful to nan delicate ecosystem of nan region. The viewpoint is situated successful a barren wood area, making it particularly susceptible to wildfires. Biologist Pablo Martín has raised alarms astir nan imaginable occurrence hazards posed by discarded cigaret ends, which tin easy ignite nan barren vegetation successful nan area.
To combat this issue, nan Tenerife Cabildo (Island Council) introduced a smoking prohibition astatine each protected viewpoints and stepping trails successful 2024. Despite this, nan prohibition has been mostly ignored astatine Chipeque, pinch galore visitors continuing to fume and discard their cigaret butts without information for nan environment. The increasing magnitude of discarded is not only a ocular problem but besides an biology one, arsenic it poses a important consequence of wildfire, which could devastate nan surrounding wood area and harm wildlife.
Diminished Visitor Experience
In summation to nan biology concerns, nan influx of visitors has severely affected nan value of nan visitant acquisition astatine Mirador de Chipeque. What was erstwhile a quiet, serene spot has now go overcrowded, making it difficult for visitors to afloat bask nan stunning views. Local contented creator @manriquephoto precocious posted a video showing nan wide litter scattered passim nan viewpoint, on pinch nan usage of unauthorized drones, which are prohibited successful nan area. These drones not only disrupt nan serene ambiance but besides airs a information consequence to some visitors and wildlife. The expanding number of visitors who sojourn without respecting nan rules of nan tract has transformed Chipeque from a tranquil flight into a chaotic, crowded hotspot.
Local Frustration and Calls for Action
As nan business worsens, locals person begun to sound their frustrations online, expressing interest astir nan nonaccomplishment of what was erstwhile a serene haven. Many consciousness that nan site’s beauty is being overshadowed by nan changeless beingness of visitors, and nan deficiency of respect for nan situation and section civilization is causing harm to their beloved landscape. These feelings are echoed crossed Tenerife, arsenic different celebrated viewpoints for illustration La Tarta and Roques de García are besides facing akin challenges brought connected by overtourism.
Local activists and residents are calling for stricter regulations and amended guidance to protect Tenerife’s earthy resources. Some propose that nan land should travel nan illustration of different celebrated destinations and present measures for illustration controlled visitant numbers, timed introduction systems, and amended enforcement of biology laws. While these measures could thief alleviate nan unit connected nan region, galore locals fearfulness that without important changes, nan island’s earthy beauty will proceed to deteriorate.
Broader Implications for Tenerife
The challenges astatine Mirador de Chipeque are not isolated to this azygous location but are portion of a larger, island-wide issue. Tenerife’s Teide National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is besides struggling pinch nan effects of overtourism. The park’s volcanic landscape, uncommon flora, and animals are each nether threat owed to nan unchecked maturation successful tourer numbers. Jaime Coello Bravo, head of nan Telesforo Bravo-Juan Coello Foundation, has criticized nan Tenerife Island Council for promoting wide tourism successful nan region, which he believes is starring to nan “destruction” of nan park. Coello has shared disturbing images of visitors straying from marked trails, climbing connected volcanic rocks, and disturbing vulnerable ecosystems.
In response, nan Tenerife Cabildo has implemented measures to amended negociate entree to delicate areas. These see an online preservation strategy that controls entree to celebrated trails and hiking routes, specified arsenic those starring to Mount Teide’s summit. Despite these efforts, nan semipermanent effect of wide tourism connected nan island’s protected sites remains a important concern.
Government Measures and Future Outlook
In an effort to sphere nan island’s earthy beauty, nan Tenerife Cabildo has besides introduced caller authorities to restrict nan number of visitors successful definite areas. For example, nan implementation of a preservation strategy for Teide National Park intends to forestall overcrowding and guarantee that only authorized visitors tin entree circumstantial trails. The authorities are besides cracking down connected forbidden activities specified arsenic nan usage of drones and smoking successful protected areas.
Despite these efforts, enforcement remains an ongoing challenge. The land faces nan delicate task of balancing economical benefits pinch biology conservation. Local biology groups reason that much needs to beryllium done to guarantee nan semipermanent sustainability of Tenerife’s earthy resources and nan protection of its iconic viewpoints.
Conclusion: A Call for Responsible Tourism
Mirador de Chipeque’s plight serves arsenic a grim reminder of nan delicate equilibrium required betwixt tourism and conservation. The island’s earthy beauty has made it a very sought-after destination for travelers, but arsenic nan number of visitors continues to grow, attraction becomes a situation too, particularly successful nan discourse of unruly, reckless visitors who person very small respect for their surroundings. To sphere Tenerife’s iconic viewpoints for early generations, some visitors and locals must adopt much sustainable practices. Authorities must proceed to fortify enforcement and guidance of tourer sites to forestall further harm to nan island’s unsocial landscapes.
With much mindful tourism practices and greater respect for nan environment, it whitethorn beryllium imaginable to protect Tenerife’s pristine earthy sites while simultaneously allowing visitors to immerse successful nan island’s wonders. The early of Mirador de Chipeque and akin destinations depends connected each stakeholders getting together and moving retired a applicable solution to nan overtourism crisis.