UK holidaymakers planning trips to the Canary Islands during the upcoming half-term holidays have been cautioned to brace themselves for potential anti-tourism protests erupting in key tourist areas. Local concerns regarding the adverse effects of overtourism have spurred plans for mass demonstrations set to unfold across the Spanish archipelago on World Tourism Day, scheduled for 20th October.
Scheduled protest sites include the Metropolis Commercial Centre in Playa Las Americas, Tenerife, Maspalomas in Gran Canaria, and Corralejo in Fuerteventura – all renowned winter sun destinations, as revealed by Canarian Weekly. The motivations behind the protests revolve around challenging the region’s economic model that prioritises tourism at the expense of residents’ quality of life and environmental preservation.
The Canary Islands government is anticipated to unveil alternative economic models soon, drawing from insights of five working groups. Jaime Coello Bravo, the director of the Telesforo Bravo Canary Foundation, expressed disappointment over the government’s lack of response to the group’s environmental and social grievances since initial protests.
These anticipated protests follow a wave of demonstrations against overtourism that swept Spain over the summer. On 20th April, Tenerife witnessed thousands taking to the streets to voice their opposition to mass tourism. Protesters demanded reforms in the tourism sector, which contributes 35% to the gross domestic product of the Canary Islands archipelago.
Campaigners called for temporary restrictions on visitor numbers to relieve strains on the islands’ environment, infrastructure, and housing provisions, alongside advocating for limitations on property acquisitions by foreigners within the region. In Barcelona, locals expressed discontent by spraying water at diners with water pistols, calling for tourists to depart.
The disgruntled residents chanted “tourists go home” while displaying placards emphasising the need to regulate tourism to avoid further strain on the city’s resources. Video footage captured the scene as nearly 3,000 locals participated in the demonstration by cordoning off popular tourist spots and dousing diners with water pistols.
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