“Cuna del Alma” is a planned luxury hotel in Puertito de Adeje, in southern Tenerife, selling itself as a sustainable resort. It has been at the centre of controversy since construction began. Mass protests against this project and the economic model it represents have been ongoing since April 2024, drawing international attention. This controversy seems to be reaching a tipping point, as a judge has reopened a criminal case for alleged criminal misconduct against the Mayor of Adeje (who publicly said there was nothing worth protecting in Puertito de Adeje and that this was the example of sustainable tourism he wants for the Canary Islands) and the developer, Filip Hoste. Construction has been halted in a small part of the project, but machinery is still at work a few metres away.
For many observers, this raises a broader, more uncomfortable question: what does “sustainable tourism” actually mean beyond a marketing label?
