Residents of the Canary Islands, including Tenerife and Lanzarote, are calling for changes to be made to the tourism strategy
A longstanding holiday destination among Brits, the Canary Islands have now come under the spotlight in recent weeks due to a backlash from locals against mass tourism. Protests have been held as locals call for changes to the tourism model, sparked by concerns that it's damaging local infrastructure and the environment.
Yet locals fear these plans are not sustainable for the islands. The Canary Islands are the second poorest region in Spain and residents are concerned new mass tourism developments will use up local resources and impact the lives of locals, as well as driving up the cost of housing. Activist Jaime Quintero, 21 told The Express that: “We are not against tourism, but every nook and cranny is being taken over. We want to change it to make it more sustainable. When I visit beaches they are filled with rubbish it makes me sad.”
What does it mean for British holidaymakers? In light of the protests a new tourism strategy could be launched in the Canary Islands to ensure that a more sustainable. This doesn’t mean stopping tourists completely, but introducing measures which reduce the number of visitors and ease the impact on local resources and the environment. One option is to introduce a tourist tax, a small fee usually charged per night to visitors which is already common at many holiday destinations.
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