The town of Teror is in the process of applying for National Tourist Interest status for its Fiestas de Nuestra Señora del Pino. This objective is based on a historical journey dating back to 1964, when Manuel Fraga Iribarne, then Minister of Information and Tourism, initiated the process for the first Tourist Interest declaration. During that year, Fraga visited the island on several occasions, recognizing the archipelago's tourism potential.
A Ministerial Order published in 1964 established the honorary designation of 'Fiesta de Interés Turístico' to acknowledge the value of Spanish celebrations. To be eligible for subsidies, city councils had to submit a reasoned application. In Teror, this task fell to Florencio Rodríguez, who prepared a detailed report on the merits of the Fiestas del Pino. Consequently, in July 1965, the Undersecretariat of Tourism granted this distinction to the festival, along with other Canarian celebrations.
It is important to note that the 'National Tourist Interest' category was created in 1979. The Fiestas del Pino, although recognized regionally, had not yet achieved this highest national distinction. The commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary of the first declaration spurred the initiative to achieve this recognition.
In September 2015, Teror's municipal corporation, led by Mayor Isabel Guerra, presented the arguments for the application. Emphasis was placed on the need for the distinction to foster economic activity and better understand what attracts tourists to Teror during the Fiestas del Pino. The Insular Council also joined the initiative, dedicating the festivities and the adornment of its headquarters to the commemoration. Interestingly, in 2015, the traditional procession route of El Pino, dating back to the 18th century, was modified.
Subsequent political circumstances delayed the advancement of the process. It wasn't until October 2016, following a motion of no confidence and with Tewise González as Tourism Councilor, that the proposal was made to apply for the Canary Islands Tourist Interest declaration. This agreement was unanimously approved, with plans for national promotion in the following years.
The most recent step was taken in August 2025, when Tourism Councilor Laura Quintana Ramírez proposed to the municipal plenary session to formally approve the application for National Tourist Interest before the Ministry of Tourism. The mayor was authorized to submit the required documentation, including a justification report and institutional and media backing.
Currently, the city council is advancing this process with the presence of ministers from Industry and Tourism, and Territorial Policy and Democratic Memory. The goal is for this recognition to highlight the festival's social, cultural, and ethnographic dimensions. It also aims to reconvert the festival's underlying meaning to attract and satisfy visitors from other regions and countries.
“"The true festival, the most beautiful and profound, the most festive, begins when the media finishes its dissemination work and the Canarian people take to the streets to live."
