Arona has picked up a national award for the way it is bringing tourism, local heritage and culture together.
The municipality has received the Tourism Integration and Historical-Artistic Heritage Award at the fifth edition of the VIAJAR 2026 Awards.
The award recognises Arona’s work to connect its tourism offer with the preservation, promotion and understanding of its historical, artistic and cultural heritage.
More than beaches and hotels
Arona is already one of the Canary Islands’ best-known tourist destinations, but the award highlights another side of the municipality.
Its history, neighbourhoods, traditions and cultural heritage are increasingly being included in the experience offered to visitors, while also being promoted to local residents.
The municipal departments responsible for Tourism, Culture and Historical Heritage work together to make these elements more visible and accessible.
The idea is to show that there is more to Arona than the obvious holiday attractions.
A national recognition
Arona’s councillor for Culture, Historical Heritage and Tourism, Naím Yánez Alonso, attended the awards ceremony.
The municipality shared the event with destinations and organisations from Spain and further afield, including Portugal, Marseille, Cáceres, Salou and Hong Kong.
Other recognised tourism organisations included Meliá Hotels International, the Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba, Hesperia and Regent Seven Seas Cruises.
The award also acknowledges the work of the teams within Arona’s Tourism and Culture organisations and the Historical Heritage department, who are responsible for developing and promoting the municipality’s cultural and heritage offer.
Showing another side of Arona
For Arona, the recognition supports a wider approach to tourism that goes beyond simply attracting visitors.
The municipality is working to bring its historic buildings, traditions, cultural activities and local identity into the tourism experience while making sure residents have greater access to and knowledge of their own heritage.
It’s a useful reminder that Arona has been around rather longer than the hotel boom might suggest.