Canary Islands approve the regulations for the Tourism Quality Agency

The Government of the Canary Islands has approved Decree 165/2026, of October 26, which approves the Regulations for the organization and operation of the Canary Islands Tourism Quality Agency, a collegiate body attached to the general directorate competent in tourism quality matters. The regulation is published in the Official Gazette of the Canary Islands (Boletín Oficial de Canarias) no. 219, of November 3, 2026, within section I (General Provisions), and enters into force the day following its publication, that is, November 4, 2026.

A body that had not met since 2011

The text is established under Law 19/2003, of April 14, on General Planning Guidelines and Tourism of the Canary Islands, whose Guideline 33 requires the regulation of the functions, competencies, and composition of the Agency as a driving body for the qualification and management improvement of the sector. Until now, Decree 37/2024, of March 4, which approved the Organic Regulations of the Ministry of Tourism and Employment, established the competencies and composition in its article 20, but not the specific regulation of internal operations.

The preamble justifies the update based on the time elapsed since the last meeting of this collegiate body, held in 2011, and the evolution of tourism quality certification systems, which are now conditioned by sustainability and digitalization criteria. The processing incorporated Opinion no. 323/2026, of September 10, from the Consultative Council of the Canary Islands, and the text was deliberated by the Government in its meeting on October 26, 2026, following a joint proposal from the ministries of the Presidency and Tourism and Employment.

Twelve members and commissions convertible into laboratories

The Agency will act in Plenary, as a deliberative and decision-making body, and in working commissions of a sectoral or specialized nature. The composition of the Plenary is as follows:

• Presidency: the head of the department competent in tourism matters.
• Vice-presidency: the head of the Vice-Ministry of Tourism.
• Ex-officio members: the general directorates competent in tourism planning, training and promotion, and in infrastructure, sustainability and tourism quality.
• Five representatives of the managing entities of the quality systems implemented in the Canary Islands.
• Five representatives of the business associations of the tourism sub-sectors present in those systems.
• Secretariat: a person designated by the general directorate of tourism quality from among the civil service staff.

The ten designated members will have alternates appointed through the same procedure, and the composition must respect the principle of balanced representation of women and men in accordance with Law 1/2010, of February 26. The commissions may be transformed into innovation laboratories for the analysis and development of pilot projects in quality, sustainability, digitalization, and circular economy, without economic impact or impact on human resources.

Semiannual sessions and immediately executive agreements

The Plenary shall hold ordinary sessions at least once every six months, with notice given fifteen days in advance, and extraordinary sessions at the initiative of the Presidency or upon the reasoned request of two-thirds of its members, with seven days’ notice and a maximum of fifteen days from the request. The quorum shall require the presence of the Presidency and the Secretariat and at least half of the members, with a second call thirty minutes later which shall require only one-third.

Agreements shall be adopted by a majority of votes and shall be immediately executive, while those of the working commissions shall be considered proposals and will require subsequent approval by the Plenary. The Agency may be constituted and adopt agreements both in person and remotely.

More competencies and an annual report-memo

The regulation adds functions to those already provided for in Decree 37/2024, including incorporating sustainability, digitalization, and the circular economy as axes of work, preparing a catalog of quality actions carried out by the Canarian administrations, formulating action plans in coordination with local entities, and establishing a system of indicators to evaluate its work. It will also issue an annual report-memo on its activities, the degree of achievement of objectives, and the planning for the following year.

The regulation also modifies article 20 of the Organic Regulation of the Department and places the Agency in the third category of the Regulation of indemnities for reason of service, approved by Decree 251/1997, of September 30. Finally, it empowers the head of the Department of Tourism and Employment to issue the precise resolutions and instructions for its application.

The new framework arrives with tourism as a strategic sector of the island economy and with a body that had not met for more than a decade: the regulation not only gives it a stable structure but also obliges it to meet twice a year and to be accountable annually to the collective of administrations and companies in the sector.

Source: Official Gazette of the Canary Islands, no. 219, of November 3, 2026, section I. General provisions, page 39285 (official reference: Decree 165/2026).