Thousands protest in Canary Islands over 'unsustainable' mass tourism

Demonstrators are demanding a suspension of tourist activities, stating that the current system has caused the cost of living to become too high and has created environmental issues that locals cannot sustain.

This past Saturday, a massive gathering took place in Tenerife as thousands of individuals came together to voice their demands for a temporary cap on the influx of tourists to the Spanish island.

Carrying signs that say "Residents dwell here" and "We refuse to witness the extinction of our island," they are demanding an end to vacation rentals and building of hotels that are causing an increase in housing expenses for the community.

Various environmental organizations such as Greenpeace, WWF, Ecologists in Action, Friends of the Earth, and SEO/Birdlife are supporting the demonstrators.

The 'Salvar Chira-Soria' platform's Secretary, Rosario Correa, stated that they are not in opposition to tourism, but rather against a pattern that has contributed to the decay of their territory and their population. She added that the profits and progress generated by tourism are not mirrored in their society.

Eleven people from the group Canarias se Agota have been on a week-long hunger strike to protest against the building of two expensive luxury developments in the south of Tenerife. They believe these projects are illegal and completely unnecessary.

The police said around 20,000 individuals took part in the demonstrations, while the organizers stated that the figure was closer to 50,000, as per Spain's TVE public television.

In a blog post, Rosario Correo, a participant in the protests, stated that their position is not against tourism. They are requesting a change from the current model that allows unlimited growth of the tourism industry.

People gathered in Madrid and Barcelona to show support for the demonstrations happening in the Canary Islands.

By 2023, a staggering number of 13.9 million travelers arrived to the islands, compared to the 2.2 million individuals who call it their home. In fact, the tourism sector plays a vital role in the archipelago's economy, contributing around 35% to the GDP which translates into a whopping €16.9bn generated solely in 2022.

Nonetheless, residents contend that the business is exhausting the Earth's resources and pushing the cost of renting upwards, resulting in them being progressively out of reach.

According to information provided by Spain's National Statistics Institute, the percentage of individuals facing poverty or social exclusion in the Canaries is 33.8 percent, which is the second-highest rate in comparison to all other regions, with the exception of Andalucía.