Thousands of locals took part in fresh protests against over-tourism in the Canary Islands at the weekend.
Images published in UK national papers show protestors surrounding tourists sunbathing on a beach in Tenerife on Sunday.
The Spanish Government said 8,000 people joined the demonstrations, which occurred simultaneously in Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Tenerife, La Palma and El Hierro.
In the Playa de la Americas, one of Tenerife’s most popular resorts, protestors walked among sunbathing tourists, chanting: “This beach is ours.”
The protestors claim the arrival of millions of holidaymakers every year drains the islands of natural resources, including water, damages the environment, and pushes up the cost of local housing.
Despite the protests, which have been going on throughout this year, official data shows there has been a significant rise in the number of tourists visiting the Canaries so far.
According to the Spanish National Statistics Institute, 9.9 million tourists visited the Canary Islands between January and September, up 10.3% on the same period in 2023. However, hotels in Tenerife reported in early spring that guests were calling ahead of their trips to check it was safe after hearing of over-tourism demos.
Other Spanish holiday hotspots, including Mallorca and Malaga, have also seen a series of protests against over tourism this year, and, in July, residents squirted diners in tourist areas of Barcelona with water.
Earlier this year, TUI CEO Sebastian Ebel said blamed ‘unregulated’ tourism, such as short lets advertised on platforms like Airbnb, for the anti-tourism sentiment in the Canary Islands.
The Canary Islands regional government has proposed a law to ban new-build homes from being offered as short holiday lets. It is expected to pass this year.
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Images published in UK national papers show protestors surrounding tourists sunbathing on a beach in Tenerife on Sunday.
The Spanish Government said 8,000 people joined the demonstrations, which occurred simultaneously in Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Tenerife, La Palma and El Hierro.
In the Playa de la Americas, one of Tenerife’s most popular resorts, protestors walked among sunbathing tourists, chanting: “This beach is ours.”
The protestors claim the arrival of millions of holidaymakers every year drains the islands of natural resources, including water, damages the environment, and pushes up the cost of local housing.
Despite the protests, which have been going on throughout this year, official data shows there has been a significant rise in the number of tourists visiting the Canaries so far.
According to the Spanish National Statistics Institute, 9.9 million tourists visited the Canary Islands between January and September, up 10.3% on the same period in 2023. However, hotels in Tenerife reported in early spring that guests were calling ahead of their trips to check it was safe after hearing of over-tourism demos.
Other Spanish holiday hotspots, including Mallorca and Malaga, have also seen a series of protests against over tourism this year, and, in July, residents squirted diners in tourist areas of Barcelona with water.
Earlier this year, TUI CEO Sebastian Ebel said blamed ‘unregulated’ tourism, such as short lets advertised on platforms like Airbnb, for the anti-tourism sentiment in the Canary Islands.
The Canary Islands regional government has proposed a law to ban new-build homes from being offered as short holiday lets. It is expected to pass this year.
The post Tourists surrounded by protestors on Tenerife beach appeared first on Travel Gossip.
Continue reading...
