On Sunday 20th October, which marks World Tourism day, there were simultaneous demonstrations around the Canary Islands.
The protests called for a change in the Spanish model of tourism, with Gran Canaria, Tenerife, La Palma, Fuerteventura, Lanzarote and El Hierro all taking part in these protests.
The locals stormed beaches, beating drums and blowing whistles as holidaymakers sunbathed. It is suspected that around 8,000 were involved in the noisy protests.
This comes after earlier in the year protests in Barcelona made the headlines. The string of protests has sparked discussion about the long term effect that tourism has had on Spanish nations.
Activists protested under the anti-tourist group ‘Canary Islands Have A Limit’. The group claims local people are being priced out of the housing market.
The arrival of so many tourists every year, is leaving them without natural resources such as water. There are also concerns over the long term effect on the environment. The islands’ population was 2.2 million last year, but it is reported that over 40% of locals have left the areas, due to ‘complete inaction’ from the governments.
The group have released some shocking figures, seventy-five percent of the money earned for hotels and other businesses used by tourists, ends up outside of Spain. It is estimated that around 10 million people visited the islands between January and September this year, and due to the majority staying on short terms-lets, it subsequently prices locals out of their homes.
Despite this, some locals criticised the protests. One canary islander stated “We have to fight for quality tourism but not against those who come here. We shouldn’t fight the tourist who is on the beach because they paid for an offer”.
In addition, locals in Lanzarote launched a pro-tourism march, just three days after the protests carried out on World Tourism Day. Locals wore t-shirts stating ‘Lanzarote loves tourism’ and criticised the government for ‘playing political games’.
The group believe that it is the government who are fear-mongering locals about mass tourism, but believe that many in Lanzarote rely on tourists for their livelihoods,
Currently, there appears to be a worldwide uprising in the disapproval of tourists. It was reported in Lisbon restaurants have begun slyly overpricing tourists for food, furthermore the mayor of Santorini warned that the place is too clogged with tourists to function.
The regional government in the Canaries have just drafted a law that will ban newly built properties being used for short term lets, and make it mandatory for landlords who rent properties on short term lets to gain a permit.
‘Canary Islands Have A Limit’ said in a statement “We will go to the tourist areas because that is where the injustice we are denouncing is taking place and because that is where we want to confront the system that is destroying our islands.”
The unsettling scenes are said to have upset and annoyed holidaymakers, with tensions running high. Brits who are set to go to the Canary Islands over the October break have been warned there may be major disruption.
