The online registration to take part in the Tenerife Walking Festival 2017 is now open. The third edition of the festival is set to be the biggest and best yet, featuring a total of 20 walking routes – two more than the last edition – and a packed programme of supporting activities. The event, designed to showcase the island's astonishing natural beauty, will take place from 23rd to 27th May 2017.

Aimed at becoming a “must go-to” event in the European hiking calendar, the Tenerife Walking Festival 2017 will feature two new volcanic routes on its programme: “El Palmar – Santiago del Teide” and “Igueque – La Crucita – La Caldera”. All 20 routes, which vary in length and intensity, are grouped into three categories (volcanic, coastal and green paths) to showcase Tenerife's striking diversity of landscapes. Some of the most popular walks are the ones which go through two of the island's UNESCO-listed sites: the volcanic Teide National Park (World Heritage) and the green Anaga Rural Park (Biosphere Reserve).

Also new for next year, the festival will include an innovative system for calculating each participant's environmental footprint and how to offset it by means of activities that contribute to conserving the protected spaces on the island, such as reforestation.

In addition to the hikes, there will be an array of supporting activities taking place in the northern town of Puerto de la Cruz, the festival's headquarters, every evening. These include food fairs to sample the tasty local food, a stargazing session in the Teide National Park and a relaxing swim in one of the island's natural volcanic pools, amongst others. A spectacular parade of flags will also delight participants on the last day of the walking extravaganza.

Alberto Bernabé, Tourism Minister for the Tenerife Island Government, comments on the Tenerife Walking Festival: “This is an extraordinary event for us to showcase all the assets the island offers to both amateur and professional walkers, with more than 1,500km of stunning hiking trails available and Tenerife's average spring-like temperatures of 23 degrees.”

Everybody passionate about walking and the outdoors – single travellers, couples, families and group of friends – can now register online at www.tenerifewalkingfestival.com. During the process, participants will need to choose up to four routes out of the 20. The 2017 edition of the festival is expected to attract 200 ramblers from across Europe.

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About Tenerife

Tenerife is the largest of the Canary Islands and one of the most popular and easily accessible holiday destinations for UK travellers. Guaranteed sunshine, diverse landscapes, idyllic beaches and charming villages make the island an ideal holiday choice all year round, while its vast array of fantastic activities, from year-round whale watching and stargazing on Spain's tallest peak to caving adventures inside Europe's largest lava tubes, ensure that the island's variety of experiences are as unforgettable as its flavours and friendly people.

For general tourism information on Tenerife, please visit: www.webtenerife.co.uk

For media information, please contact Enrique Martin or Richard Hume at Hume Whitehead on 0845 498 9980 or email enrique@humewhitehead.co.uk / richard@humewhitehead.co.uk