Thousands Protest Unsustainable Tourism Model in Canary Islands, Spain

Thousands of protesters in the Canary Islands, Spain, are demanding a freeze on tourist numbers and a rethink of the archipelago's outdated tourism model. The protesters argue that the current model has made life unaffordable and environmentally unsustainable for the 2.2 million local residents, with 33.8% at risk of poverty or social exclusion.

The protests, scheduled to start on April 20, are aimed at halting the development of a new hotel on La Tejita beach in Tenerife, one of the last parts of the island untouched by mass tourism. Protesters held banners proclaiming 'This beach is ours' and chanted 'Get out of this house' to prevent the construction from going ahead.

Locals argue that the island is collapsing socially and environmentally due to the overwhelming influx of tourists, leading to issues like housing unaffordability, congestion of health services, waste management problems, and loss of biodiversity. The Canary Islands received 13.9 million foreign tourists in 2023, more than six times their population.

Why this matters: The protests in the Canary Islands highlight the growing tensions between the tourism industry and local communities in popular destinations. The unsustainable tourism model is not only affecting the Canary Islands but also other parts of Spain, such as Barcelona and the Balearic Islands, leading to calls for better regulation and a more balanced approach to tourism development.

The Canary Islands tourism minister has urged British holidaymakers not to cancel their trips, but the protesters claim they are not demonstrating against tourism or tourists, but against the saturation of the islands and the lack of measures to protect them from the growth of the industry. Residents have called for authorities to implement a tourism tax and stricter restrictions to control the number of visitors.

Key Takeaways

• Thousands protest in Canary Islands against unsustainable tourism model.
• Protesters demand freeze on tourist numbers and rethink of tourism model.
• Locals argue island is collapsing socially and environmentally due to tourist influx.
• Protests aim to halt development of new hotel on last untouched beach.
• Residents call for tourism tax and stricter visitor restrictions to protect islands.