Canary Island's plan for new cable car routes over unique tourist attraction

of La Palma is planning to launch three new cable car routes so tourists can view lava flows.

When up and running, tourists will be given a bird's-eye view of the spectacular lava flows created by the volcanic eruption on La Palma, which caused extensive damage four years ago. The 2021 eruption of La Palma's volcano, part of the Cumbre Viejo ridge, lasted for 85 days. It resulted in thousands of evacuations, buried homes, and economic losses that exceeded 842 million euros.

The eruption was the largest, longest, and most destructive on the island in recorded history. It was the most recent in a series of historical eruptions emanating from the active Cumbre Vieja volcanic ridge in AD 1585, 1646, 1677–1678, 1712, 1949, and 1971.

According to a study on the 2021 eruption, it ranks "as one of the most destructive volcanic eruptions in the history of . This was not so much due to an unusually large eruption volume or a large explosive eruption, but mainly because of increased societal vulnerability in this part of the island."

READ MORE:

The publication warns of an increased risk from volcanic eruptions similar to this one in the future, in part due to the growing trend of volcano tourism. "Furthermore, the risk associated with active volcanoes has been further amplified by volcano tourism, with the unfortunate demise of over 1000 volcano tourists in eruption incidents over the previous decade, most recently exemplified by the 2019 White Island disaster in New Zealand or the Marapi disaster in Indonesia in 2023," Geology Today's article adds.

Despite such warnings, the Cabildo on La Palma is moving ahead with its cable car plans, explaining that it wants to "diversify" the tourist offer and give "a unique perspective of the La Palma landscape." The cable cars would "improve connectivity" in areas that are difficult to access. Currently, the Cabildo is conducting various technical and environmental impact studies to identify the best locations, as well as the most appropriate type of cable car. Part of this process involves contacting managers of similar infrastructure in other regions.

The cable cars could connect Hoya Grande and Roque de Los Muchachos; Puerto de Tazacorte and Punta de Tijarafe; and Tacande and La Bombilla.

"The Cabildo de La Palma has begun a phase of study and analysis that seeks to evaluate the feasibility of implementing cable car systems at strategic points on the island. Specifically, work is being done on three options: one between Hoya Grande and Roque de Los Muchachos, another between Puerto de Tazacorte and Punta de Tijarafe and a third between Tacande and La Bombilla," a spokesperson for the organisation said.

"The initiative seeks to diversify the tourist offer, improve connectivity in areas that are difficult to access and offer a unique perspective of the La Palma landscape, with criteria of sustainability and respect for the environment."

President of the Cabildo de La Palma, Sergio Rodríguez, said: "A balance will be sought between sustainable tourism development and the preservation of the island's natural values. We are exploring innovative options that can enrich the experience of our visitors and facilitate the mobility of residents, especially in areas with complex orography. If designed and executed properly, can be a unique tourist attraction and an efficient and sustainable transport solution."