Canary Islands urge Brits to continue visiting after thousands of residents join anti-tourism protests
22 April 2024, 12:51 | Updated: 22 April 2024, 12:56
The Canary Islands have urged Brits to continue booking holidays after tens of thousands of residents protested against the Spanish archipelago’s tourism model.
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Up to 50,000 people joined protests on the main Canary Islands and the Spanish mainland as they called for a freeze on visitor numbers.
The protestors, backed by organisations such as Greenpeace and WWF, argued tourism is driving up house prices and damaging the local environment and infrastructure.
The Canary Islands, which include Tenerife and Gran Canaria, have a population of 2.2 million but welcomed 13.9 million international tourists in 2023 alone.
Amid fears the protests will cause holiday cancellations, regional tourism chief Jessica de Leon told The Telegraph: “It is still safe to visit the Canary Islands, and we are delighted to welcome you.”
Her message was echoed by the islands’ president Fernando Clavijo who admitted changes could be made to the tourism model.
He said: “People who come here to visit and spend their money must not be criticised or insulted. We are playing with our main source of income.
“The Canaries tourist model has been a successful one, but obviously, as with anything, there are things that could be perfected.”
Many of those in attendance held signs which translated to “Canary Islands have a limit”, in addition to messages of “Canaries not for sale”, “Stop Hotels” and “We don’t want to see our island die”.
Tourism contributes to 35% of the islands’ gross domestic product (GDP) and is responsible for 40% of jobs, yet 33.8% of the population is at risk of poverty or social exclusion, according to Spain’s National Statistics.
The collective Canarias se Agota - The Canaries Have Had Enough - helped to coordinate Saturday’s protests, with 11 members having already been on hunger strike for a week against hotel developments in Tenerife.
The group timed the action just before the peak summer holiday season.
Spokesperson Victor Martin said: “We’ve reached the point where the balance between the use of resources and the welfare of the population here has broken down, especially over the past year.
“I realised we’d reached the limit when I saw people who were working as hotel maids or waiters were living in shacks.
“Wages are so low that they don’t cover the basic costs of living, especially in the current crisis, which is global, but has been felt keenly in the Canaries because we have to import practically everything.”
Protestor Rosario Correo told Spain’s TVE public television: “We are not against tourism. We’re asking that they change this model that allows for unlimited growth of tourism.”
A draft law which would tighten rules on short-term rentals is expected this year.
