Bemused tourists on Spain’s renowned beaches found themselves amidst fervent protests over the weekend as thousands of locals demonstrated in the holiday resorts of Spain’s Canary Islands. The protests were directed against over-tourism, which the residents claim is driving up housing prices and squeezing locals out of the market. Under the rallying cry “Canary Islands has a limit,” residents of Gran Canaria, Tenerife, La Palma, Fuerteventura, Lanzarote, and El Hierro simultaneously staged demonstrations, calling for a revision of the tourism model in the islands.
In Playa de las Americas in Tenerife, protestors made their presence felt on the beach, chanting “This beach is ours” much to the surprise of sunbathing tourists. Activists argue that the influx of millions of visitors every year depletes vital natural resources like water and harms the environment. The Spanish government reported that at least 8,000 people participated in the protests.
Between January and September, the Canary Islands welcomed 9.9 million tourists, a 10.3% increase compared to the same period in 2023, according to the Spanish National Statistics Institute. With the islands’ population standing at 2.2 million last year, concerns about the sustainability of tourism have been amplified. “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,” expressed Sara Lopez, 32, in Gran Canaria on Sunday.
Spain, heavily reliant on tourism, has witnessed a series of anti-over-tourism demonstrations this year, including in Barcelona, Mallorca, and Malaga. Earlier this year in Barcelona, scenes similar to those in the Canary Islands unfolded as thousands of residents protested against mass tourism by showering diners in tourist spots with water. Protesters in Spain have been vocal in their calls for limits on tourism and for a reevaluation of the tourism model.
In response to these protests, the Canary Islands regional government is set to pass a law later this year to tighten regulations on short-term rentals following complaints from residents facing housing affordability challenges. The new law will prohibit newly built properties from being put on the short-term rental market, and property owners with permits will have five years to comply with revised regulations that include granting neighbours the right to object to these permits.
The protests also extended to Valencia, where hundreds of demonstrators took to the streets advocating for more affordable housing, citing that tourist accommodations are driving up prices in the city. The tension between the thriving tourism industry and the needs of the local communities continues to spark debates and actions across popular tourist destinations in Spain.