have told the Daily Express that now is not the time to visit. across the Canary Islands later today to call on authorities to do more to protect them from the impact of tourism on the region.
the situation is becoming "unsustainable and deeply harmful" to locals, with others claiming that the Canary Islands are already at their limit. Carla Henriquez, 38, a surfer and photographer from Tenerife who is a campaigner with environmental association ATAN said: "Right now is not the time to visit the Canary Islands. We've reached a critical point of saturation - our territory, resources, and infrastructure simply cannot handle more pressure."
"This isn't about being against tourism itself, but the reality is that, at this moment, we don't have the capacity to welcome more visitors."
It is the latest anti-tourism protest to take place across Europe over recent months, with locals berating the impact of industry on areas such as public services, affordable housing and anti-social behaviour.
Ms Henriquez added: "We demand a real tourism moratorium - no more hotel beds, no more holiday homes, and no more tourism-related infrastructure. Not a single new project.
"We also call for a residency law that limits property purchases by foreigners, to protect housing access for local people.
"In addition, we want clear limits on the number of tourists allowed into the Canary Islands, whether daily, monthly, or yearly-because this territory has physical and ecological limits that must be respected."
Locals have been seen across the city holding placards stating: "Canary Islands shouts enough, our land has a limit".
Others have held aloft signs saying: "Fewer tourist apartments, more Canarian homes."
Tenerife is the most popular tourist destination in the Canary Islands, welcoming seven million tourists in 2024, with 6.2 million of those coming from outside of Spain.
In total, the Canary Islands saw 15.5 million international visitors head to the country last year, with other areas such as Gran Canaria, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura all proving to be popular destinations.
UK visitors accounted for around 40% of all international arrivals last year.
-
Pro-West candidate Nicusor Dan leads Romanian presidential runoff: Exit polls
-
Hansi Flick highlights title defining moment as duo’s injury return
-
Chennai Man Caught With ₹1 Crore Worth Of Hydroponic Weed At Mumbai Airport
-
First BNS Section 112 Conviction In Mumbai; 5 Sentenced For Mobile Theft
-
Prison officer who had fling with rapist 'knew he was a sex offender'
