British holidaymakers in the Canary Islands found themselves at the centre of protests, with locals telling them to “go home”. Yet the Brits seemed indifferent to the disruption; they continued to soak up the sun, unperturbed by the protestors’ demands.
As calls to “go home” rang out and placards obscured their view, the unfazed tourists on the Canary Islands’ sands simply carried on with their leisure, one avidly scrolling through his phone and another cheekily flashing a peace sign at the snapping cameras.
The protest represents a new level of intensity in the Spanish anti-tourism campaign, as 20 entities align under the cry that ‘Canary Islands have a limit’. But not everyone is against the tourist presence; resistance to the protest came swiftly, particularly after demonstrators targeted popular beaches.
Augusto Ferreira, who owns a restaurant in the Canaries, was prompted to arrange a counter-protest entitled ‘Lanzarote Loves Tourism‘. He condemned the escalation of anti-tourism sentiment, which he says is instigated by local politicians “playing political games”.
Despite the unrest, Ferreira insists that tourism is indispensable for the islands’ economies, reports BirminghamLive. He said: “I have walked many streets visiting businesses and talking to people. I have heard very nice stories from people who say their family live off tourism, and that thanks to tourism they are what they are.
“A man in Playa Blanca thanked me for what I am doing, he told me to keep going, that he supported me and that his whole family would be there. That is what gives me the energy and strength to continue with this idea, which is to send a clear message to the world that we do not want to provoke a confrontation with tourists who are certainly not to blame for the problems that have been generated on the Island in recent years.”
In the meantime, politicians in the Canary Islands have jumped to the defence of tourists, condemning those who stormed beaches and targeted holidaymakers. David Morales, the People’s Party’s (PP) tourism chief in the Canary Islands, vowed to defend “the right of tourists to enjoy their holidays without being the target of interruptions or gestural or verbal attacks, and certainly not physical attacks”.
Nevertheless, the anti-tourism movement shows no signs of slowing, with more protests likely every Sunday. Rising housing costs, blamed on the growing number of tourists, are forcing many Canarians out of their homes, fuelling the unrest.
In the heart of robust anti-tourism protests, Sarah Lopez, a 32-year-old from Gran Canaria, expressed her concerns: “We need a change in the tourist model so it leaves richness here, a change so it values what this land has because it is beautiful.”
The Mirror reports that demonstrators gathered in large numbers, armed with banners proclaiming, “The Canaries Don’t Live off Tourism. Tourism lives off the Canaries,” voicing the deep-seated discontent toward the tourism industry in the region. One protester’s sign highlighted the issue sharply, reading “Enjoying a day at your pool? That water could be going on food.”
Further signs decried oversize tourism with messages such as “Macrotourism destroys Canary Islands” and “The Canaries have a limit. More trees, less hotels.”
The event marked one of the most significant anti-tourism protests to date, with Spanish authorities recording participation by 8,000 people last weekend.
These demonstrations come in the wake of data released by the Spanish National Statistics Institute indicating a 10.3 percent increase in visits to the Canary Islands – totaling 9.9 million tourists from January to September this year, compared to the same period last year. Still, the Canary Islands are not unique in their challenges; other beloved Spanish destinations like Barcelona, Mallorca, and Malaga are similarly grappling with public pushback against soaring tourist numbers.
However, the Canary Islands could be on the brink of change as the regional government has put forward a law that is expected to pass, introducing tighter controls on short-term rentals. The proposed legislation will prohibit new build properties from offering short-term lets, giving property owners a five-year window to comply with the new regulations.