Protests erupt in Tenerife over tourism’s impact on local housing and environment

On Saturday, thousands of residents took to the streets of Tenerife, one of the Canary Islands, in a mass demonstration against the surge in tourism that they claim is adversely affecting local housing costs and the environment. Protestors in Tenerife’s capital, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, wielded placards with messages like “People live here” and “We don’t want to see our island die,” signaling a growing discontent with the current tourism model which heavily influences the local economy.

Demonstrators across the island, as well as in smaller marches within the archipelago and other Spanish cities, are calling for immediate regulatory changes. These protests, orchestrated by approximately two dozen environmental organizations, come ahead of the peak summer holiday season. The activists are urging local authorities to impose temporary limits on tourist arrivals and to curb property purchases by foreigners, which they believe will alleviate pressure on the islands’ resources, infrastructure, and housing market.

Antonio Bullon, one of the protest leaders, expressed to Reuters a vehement opposition to the existing tourism framework, stating, “The authorities must immediately stop this corrupt and destructive model that depletes the resources and makes the economy more precarious.” The Canary Islands, with a local population of 2.2 million, hosted nearly 14 million foreign tourists in 2023, marking a 13% increase from the previous year.

In response to the escalating situation, local authorities are contemplating legislative action. A draft law that could pass later this year seeks to toughen the regulations on short-term holiday rentals, a direct consequence of local residents’ complaints about being priced out of the housing market. Canary Islands president Fernando Clavijo acknowledged the need for more stringent controls within the tourism sector, admitting in a press conference, “We can’t keep looking away. Otherwise, hotels will continue to open without any control.”

The protests in Tenerife highlight a significant and growing challenge facing many tourist-dependent regions: balancing economic benefits derived from tourism with the sustainable well-being of local communities. Effective management and regulatory frameworks are crucial to ensure that tourism growth does not compromise the local populace’s quality of life or the environmental health of the destination.