A Congratulation That Hurts
"Nos alegramos sinceramente" — we are sincerely pleased. So begins a commentary in El Día, Tenerife's long-established daily. What follows is not a celebration of Gran Canaria. It is one of the sharpest pieces of self-criticism a Canarian newspaper has published about its own island in years.
The occasion: Gran Canaria's Cabildo president Antonio Morales announced that the Tren del Sur — the planned railway between Las Palmas and Maspalomas — has received its Environmental Impact Declaration. Technical projects are complete. Financing is still needed. But the path is clear.
In Tenerife? "Otro cantar" — a different tune.
Tenerife Is Losing the Train — Literally
Tenerife once had a visionary for rail transport: Ricardo Melchior, Cabildo president from 1999 to 2013, who pushed through the Santa Cruz–La Laguna tramway against all resistance. He also initiated the Tren del Sur for Tenerife — but after his departure, the project stalled.
In October 2025, Tenerife's Cabildo demanded that Madrid include funding for the Tren del Sur in the 2026 state budget. What happened: nothing. Instead, for the second time — first in 2019, seven years ago — a third lane on the TF-5 between Guamasa and San Lázaro was presented.
A third lane. While Gran Canaria is building a railway.
A Businessman's Verdict
El Día quotes a Tenerife construction entrepreneur whose analysis is devastating:
"Gran Canaria historically had greater structural difficulties: fewer resources, far more limiting terrain and large areas practically unavailable for development. And yet the island has managed to move forward."
The list: the Tren del Sur with its environmental clearance. Chira-Soria, the pumped-storage power plant for energy independence. Infrastructure expansion across the board.
"That is leadership: moving forward even when the starting point is more difficult."
And on Tenerife: "With better initial conditions, we keep piling projects in drawers. Solutions exist, plans exist, urgent needs exist — but they are not turned into reality. Determination is lacking, continuity is lacking, and the willingness to make difficult decisions is lacking."
His conclusion: "Tenerife is losing the train. Literally, because other territories are moving towards modern transport while we remain stuck. And figuratively, because we are losing competitiveness, opportunities and — most worrying of all — quality of life."
What Gran Canaria Is Doing Differently
The numbers confirm the commentary. Gran Canaria set a new record in 2025 with 4.86 million tourists — up 3 per cent. Hotel investment in the Canaries has reached €4.2 billion since 2019, with Gran Canaria leading. Maspalomas reports the lowest unemployment in its history. AENA is investing €1.8 billion in Canarian airports. The Port of Las Palmas is booming from Suez rerouting. NASA has just signed an emergency agreement with Canarian hospitals. And the Estadio de Gran Canaria will host 2030 World Cup matches.
All of this is happening while Tenerife debates a third lane.
Why This Matters
The rivalry between Gran Canaria and Tenerife is as old as the archipelago. For a Tenerife newspaper to hold up Gran Canaria as a model is not routine — it is an admission.
El Día puts it diplomatically: "When things go well for a Canarian island, we can all be satisfied. We are an archipelago separated by the sea, but united by everything it means to be Canarian."
The subtext is less diplomatic: Tenerife has the better conditions and the worse results. The word that appears most often in the commentary is "liderazgo" — leadership. And the verdict is clear: Gran Canaria has it. Tenerife does not.