Thousands of Canary Islands Residents Protest ‘Overtourism’
Numerous discontented individuals marched on the roads of Tenerife. These supporters desire a novel approach to tourism that prioritizes the indigenous population. Conversely, entrepreneurs strive for consistent development from the tourism industry, which contributes around thirty percent to the community's financial system.
On Saturday, a large number of people participated in a protest against the increase of tourism in Tenerife, which happens to be the biggest island in Spain's Canary Islands.
People have been protesting after Spain’s parliament decided not to halt the building of a hotel and an eco-resort called Cuna del Alma. The protesters are worried that the 400 villas will damage a vulnerable environment in the south coast of Tenerife.
On Saturday's demonstration, the participants pushed for the government to take broader measures to regulate tourism, including temporarily stopping the approval of any new rental services for short-term stays and exploring the possibility of implementing a tax on tourism.
A gathering was put together by Canarias Se Agota, a group of activists who demand a halt to all plans for tourism development. This group holds a strong social media presence with 10,000 followers on Instagram.
Tourism made up around a third of the Canary Islands' total economic output last year. However, despite being beneficial for the economy, demonstrators claimed that it is also causing an increase in residential expenses and putting pressure on the area's infrastructure.
The Canary Islands had around 2.2 million residents. However, in 2023, there were nearly 14 million international visitors, resulting in a 13% growth from the previous year. Those in charge of the eight islands are concerned about the consequences of such a significant rise, and are set to approve a proposed regulation that is aimed at controlling the use of short-term rentals. This new rule is a response to the grievances of Canary Island homeowners, who are struggling to keep up with the housing market rates due to the increase in tourists.
Authorities in Spain are currently contemplating fresh regulations for holiday rentals situated in the Canary Islands, mandating that they must be of a particular minimum size and accommodated in structures at least ten years old.
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The Canary Islands have recently been at the center of major protests concerning hotel development and overtourism. The island of Tenerife, located in Spain, has faced particular backlash for its lack of conservation and sustainability efforts. Many are concerned about the negative impact of the growing tourism industry on the island's delicate environment. It is believed that the government must take action to implement more sustainable policies to protect the unique ecosystem and prevent further damage to the natural beauty of the Canary Islands.
The picture shows the plan for a hotel and an eco-resort titled Cuna del Alma. This plan caused a lot of public objections regarding the problem of overcrowded tourism. Photo credit goes to Cuna del Alma.
