The Canary Islands has appealed to tourists to visit amid fears of mass holiday cancellations following anti-tourism protests on Saturday (April 20). Crowds of people took to the streets of Tenerife’s capital Santa Cruz to protest what they said were “unsustainable” levels of tourism, driving up the cost of living and harming the environment.
However, regional tourism director Jessica de Leon insisted ahead of the planned protests that tourists are still welcome on the island. “It is still safe to visit the Canary Islands and we are delighted to welcome you all,” she told the Telegraph.
She added that while she understood the frustration of local residents, “it’s unfair to blame the tourism industry.” Canary Islands President Fernando Clavijo agreed with León, saying that some activists “have a kind of fear of tourists.”
Read more: Tens of thousands of people stage tourism protest in Tenerife
“Don’t criticize or insult the people who come here and spend their money. We are playing with our main source of income,” Clavijo said. Gabriel Gonzalez, a member of the far-left Podemos council in the Tenerife resort town of Adeje, fired back: “We do not make a living from tourism, we feel that we make a living from tourism.” .
Nestor Marrero, secretary of Tenerife’s ecology group called ATAN, said: “The number of tourists should be reduced. We don’t leave our hotels, we don’t interact with the locals, we stay in all-inclusive resorts. We should be aiming for higher quality visitors, not people,” he added. It’s our culture anyway. ”
Costa Adeje is a popular destination for British people – Credit: MEN Staff
Last year, 13.9 million people visited the island, which has a population of 2.2 million. According to statistics from Spain’s National Institute of Statistics, 33.8 percent of people in the Canary Islands are at risk of poverty or social exclusion, the highest rate of any region outside of Andalusia.
“Every action taken by the government is based on a revision of this model,” Clavijo told reporters this week. “The Canary Islands tourism model has been a success, but like anything, it is clear that there is room for improvement.”
More than 50,000 protesters flooded the streets of Tenerife’s capital Santa Cruz on Saturday, citing concerns that “every inch” of the Canary Islands was being taken over by tourism. Locals say life on the island is taking a toll as “unsustainable” levels of tourism drive up the cost of living and harm the environment.
Campaigners want to temporarily limit the number of tourists visiting Tenerife. A large police presence watched over the peaceful protests. The phrase “CanariasTieneUneLimit”, meaning “Canary Islands has restrictions”, was seen on many placards.
A video clip of thousands of protesters shouting “Are there any lively tourists?” (If we make a living from tourism, why aren’t we rich?) was also shared online. Tenerife is one of Spain’s most popular tourist destinations, with more than 5.8 million domestic and international tourists heading to Tenerife in 2022.
