'Scared' holidaymakers cower in rooms as thousands join Spain anti-tourism protests
Tourists are feeling trapped in their hotel rooms as thousands have taken to the streets in a wave of fierce anti-tourism protests just before the summer holiday rush.
Locals on the Canary Islands are voicing their discontent as the peak tourist season approaches, with an estimated 7,000 demonstrators marching through Santa Cruz, Tenerife's capital, reports the Mirror. The large-scale demonstrations have been mirrored across all seven islands, including Lanzarote, Gran Canaria, and Fuerteventura, with protest organisers claiming that the sun-drenched Spanish islands – a favourite destination for holidaymakers – "have a limit".
The group behind the protests, named "The Canary Islands have a limit", has yet to announce the total number of participants but reports that the turnout has been "very high".
Most of the demonstrations kicked off yesterday at 11am, drawing vast numbers to the coastlines and beaches, while many tourists watched the unfolding events from the sidelines. Campaigners in the Canary Islands have hit the streets once again to voice their opposition to the mass tourism model that underpins the local economy.
Amidst the protests, chants criticising the tourism industry filled the air, accompanied by the sound of shell-like horns and the rhythm of drumbeats.
During the raucous demonstrations, protesters were heard chanting: "El dinero del turismo, donde está?" This battle cry, asking "The money from tourism, where is it?" has caused quite a stir among visitors. The clamour and upheaval left many holidaymakers too frightened to venture outside, with Irish tourist Alberto Babo recounting to the Daily Mail his choice to "avoid the crowds".
He recounted: "I didn't go out today due to the protests, I'm stuck in my Airbnb to avoid the crowds. I hope they are not violent or anything but just to be safe I'm here. All I can hear is the noise."
The Canary Islands have seen crowds swell across its shores, yet the demonstrations have remained peaceful, as protesters on Gran Canaria rally behind the motto "The Canary Islands are not for sale, they are loved and defended".
Additionally, other placards at the gatherings proclaimed "The Canary Islands have a limit and so does our patience" and "Enough is enough!" Anti-tourism sentiment seems mainly concentrated in popular destinations such as Gran Canaria, but similar protests have also erupted in other Spanish cities and reached beyond to European capitals including Berlin.
Chief among the demands laid out by activists is a halt on further tourism development, the imposition of an eco tax, and stringent regulation of short-term holiday lets, with particular focus on platforms like Airbnb. These protests spring from increasing disquiet over tourist overload, the environmental toll, and the burgeoning crisis in housing availability.
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