RURAL GROUP, 25th April 2011

Before 1930 the whole area from south of Aguimes was not populated because of two main reasons. The first reason was the absence of fresh water and second was that the whole land was owned by only one person the “Count de la Vega Grande” who had no need to cultivate the south. This situation changed when he decided to rent small plots. The first inhabitants were farmers who cultivated cereals and after that tomatoes for export. The water supply was developed by building dams and canals. At the beginning of the fifties these plantations were the main tomato production area of the island. The tempting prospective income in tourism changed “Count de la Vega Grande”’s attitude which leaded to the gradual abandonment of agriculture and construction of a touristic infrastructure. In 1961 a contest was launched which selected a project of “S’etape” to realize their project. The project covered the whole area from Morro Besudo to Pasito Blanco.

In the one hand this would be an opportunity for the local farmers to sell their products but in the other hand the jobs attract people from the rural areas to work in touristic sector.