Airlines are to be financially incentivised to help Canary Islands tourism rebound from the Covid-19 pandemic.
A total of €5 million in subsidies is being made available to recover air connectivity to the archipelago to help attract more visitors.
The aid will be offered to airlines that operate commercial air transport from any part of the Spanish territory, the EU, or a third state to airports in the Canary Islands.
The grant is available for flights arriving by the end of the year, with applications to be made to the Canary Islands government website with 15 business days from the announcement on Wednesday.
The total subsidy granted to airlines will be calculated on a per passenger seat basis, with up to €6 available in the case of international flights and up to €3 for Spanish domestic flights.
The maximum threshold that each company may obtain within the framework of the subsidy amounts to €600,000.
Canary Islands tourism, industry, and commerce minister Yaiza Castilla said: “After the outbreak of the pandemic, the return to normality hasn’t been easy as a result of travel restrictions.
“The airline companies face a difficult financial situation thanks to a lack of activity, so it is to be expected that their focus will now move to the most profitable routes.
“For this reason, Canary Islands Tourism is prioritising a system of aid that compensates for the archipelago’s disadvantages in attracting air traffic and that helps increase access for national and international visitors.”