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Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Spain launches new nationwide register - exactly what it means for Brit tourists
Spain is rolling out its new nationwide register affecting holiday rentals including properties in the Canary Islands and Balearic Islands in a bid to help combat the issues of overtourism Brits planning Spain holidays should be aware of a new rule that's coming into force as of today (July 1) across the mainland, as well as the Canary Islands and the Balearic islands. The holiday hotspot is launching its new nationwide register for any property used for tourism, whether that's seasonal or a short-term rental. Under the Single Tourist Rental Registry, property owners will need to register to get a code that verifies they are legally allowed to use the property for tourism. This will include entire homes, individual rooms within a property that's rented out separately, and homes listed on the likes of Airbnb and The register was already rolled out in January, but at that time it was still optional; now it's mandatory. According to local publication Canarian Weekly, the Spanish Ministry of Housing says it's had a total of 199,686 applications to date, the majority of which were for holiday rentals. If a property is not on the register, then legally it won't be able to be advertised online, and owners could face fines or even be suspended from being able to offer the home as a holiday rental. If you've got a holiday booked to Spain, the good news is that you don't need to do anything, as the responsibility lies with the holiday rental platforms and property owners to obtain the correct registration. In fact, one of the aims of the register is to protect tourists from unregulated and potentially unsafe rentals. When you book a holiday rental in Spain, you should be able to see if it has a valid registration number before you finalise your booking, with the idea that it will offer holidaymakers extra peace of mind before they part with their cash. The move comes as Spain's holiday hotspots have been hit with a number of protests from locals in recent years, due to the burden of overtourism. The volume of holiday rentals is seen as a contributing factor to homelessness on the islands, with locals being priced out of areas or struggling to buy homes in areas where properties are used for tourism. It's estimated that over four million foreign visitors descended on the Canaries in the first quarter of this year alone. Local officials have been taking steps to try and mitigate the impact of overtourism. For example, Tenerife has introduced a new online booking system for some of the trails in Teide National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Meanwhile over in Fuerteventura they're taking similar measures with a new tourist tax for those who want to visit spots such as the wild beach of Cofete, the awe-inspiring sand dunes of Correlejo and the vast sea caves of Ajuy. The move comes after official figures showed that Fuerteventura had a 7.8 per cent increase in tourists between January and March, compared to the same period last year. As a result, the hotspot's infrastructure is under mounting pressure across the likes of roads, water supply, waste management systems and accommodation capacity.
Daily Mirror
6 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Canary Island to charge sunbathers £3.80 in first hike price in 23 years
In a huge blow to Brits, a tourist-riddled hotspot on the Canary Islands has unveiled plans to charge holidaymakers almost £4 per day for the privilege of using a sunbed or a parasol Brit tourists heading over to a Canary Island hotspot are slated to be hit by soaring costs if they want to spend their days at the beach. Last year, a whopping four million international visitors flocked to Gran Canaria, making it the second most popular island on the Spanish-owned archipelago. Famed for its 400-hectare dune system, endless golden sandy beaches and crystal-clear water - the destination is perfect for those wanting to top up their tan while kicking back with a good book. Combine this with low rainfall and scorching temperatures that are predicted to hit a scorching 38C this month, and it's clear why Gran Canaria has become a sunbather's paradise. However, that might soon be about to change. For the first time in over two decades, officials have reportedly proposed to increase the cost to rent a sun lounger. The charge, which hasn't changed since 2002 when Spain moved from Pesetas to Euros, will affect all of the beaches in the San Bartolomé de Tirajana region - including in the tourist-riddled hotspots of Maspalomas and Playa Del Ingles. According to Canarian Weekly, renting a sunbed or parasol currently costs €2.50 (£2.13) per day, but this will rise to €4.50 (£3.84) for both items under the new rules. For a family of four renting out a sunbed each for seven days - this will work out at a staggering €126 (£107.41). Along with the price hike - which an economic study suggested should actually rise to €6 (£5.12) - tourists will also be able to rent out Balinese beds for €15 (£12.79) per day and personal safes €3 (£2.56) to lock away their valuables. Local media states the council, led by Yilenia Vega, argues that even with the price hike - the rates remain 'highly competitive' compared to both local and national averages. However, the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) has criticised the move, accusing the council of 'prioritising private company profits over public benefit'. Over in Majorca, authorities are actually seeking to remove a staggering 1,700 of its sun loungers from beaches to make more room for protesting locals. As previously reported, Palma's council has green-lighted plans to slash sunbeds on the city's beaches by 20 per cent by next year. "There has been a loss of sand on the beaches, and we couldn't maintain the same number of sunbeds and umbrellas - and this has coincided with complaints from residents who feel they have less space," a spokesperson for the Department of Home Affairs of the Balearic Islands reportedly said. "The mayor [Jaime Martínez] is aware that the majority of residents don't use the sun bed service, so we decided to implement this redistribution." The move isn't just to snub pasty Brits desperate for a tan, but has also been attributed to rising sea levels which are slowly taking away space on the beach. You can find out which beaches will be affected by the shakeup here.
Metro
20-06-2025
- Metro
Passengers on TUI flight evacuated after bomb threat note in the toilet
British passengers were forced to evacuate a TUI flight yesterday after a bomb threat was found on board. Cabin crew members found the threatening note inside the toilet on the jet as it flew from Cardiff to the Canary Islands on Thursday morning. They handed the note to the pilots, who then quickly diverted the Flight BY6422 to César Manrique-Lanzarote Airport in Lanzarote. Once the plane landed, passengers were rushed off and bomb specialists were called to investigate. They were told to identify their luggage after they disembarked from the jet, according to the Canarian Weekly. No explosive devices were found and the bomb squad confirmed it was a false alarm while four departures at the airport were delayed. Two F-16M jets from Air Base number 5 in Monte Real were also deployed as the note was found while the plane was flying over Portugal, the Portuguese Air Force said in a statement. Air traffic controllers posted on X: 'The plane has been guided with the presence of firefighters to a siding where the passengers have had to identify their luggage. 'Landing and takeoff operations have been temporarily interrupted, which has caused some delays.' A spokesperson for the Portuguese military said: 'With the F-16Ms already monitoring the situation to ensure the safety and good management of national airspace, the crew of the civilian aircraft decided to continue the flight to the destination airport, outside national territory. 'Upon leaving the national flight information region, responsibility passed to Spain, with the Portuguese F-16Ms carrying out the handover of the mission and subsequent return to Monte Real.' Authorities are now investigating the incident to find out what happened on the plane. More Trending TUI has been contacted for comment by Metro. In a separate incident, a Ryanair flight crashed into a barrier shortly after landing Kalamata International Airport. The Boeing 737 had landed at the airport on Wednesday morning from London Stansted Airport. Passengers on flight FR6080 reportedly endured 'severe turbulence' during the three-and-a-half-hour flight. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Map shows where Oxford plans UK's first congestion charge in 20 years MORE: Elizabeth line fare dodger caught red handed after evading £1,650 in tickets MORE: Spain's little-known village with 'hanging houses' is a hidden gem overlooked by tourists
Metro
20-06-2025
- Metro
Passengers on TUI flight evacuated after bomb threat note in loo
British passengers were forced to evacuate a TUI flight yesterday after a bomb threat was found on board. Cabin crew members found the threatening note inside the toilet on the jet as it flew from Cardiff to the Canary Islands on Thursday morning. They handed the note to the pilots, who then quickly diverted the Flight BY6422 to César Manrique-Lanzarote Airport in Lanzarote. Once the plane landed, passengers were rushed off and bomb specialists were called to investigate. No explosive devices were found and the bomb squad confirmed it was a false alarm while four departures at the airport were delayed. Two F-16M jets from Air Base number 5 in Monte Real were also deployed as the note was found while the plane was flying over Portugal, the Portuguese Air Force said in a statement. Passengers were told to identify their luggage when they got off the plane, according to the Canarian Weekly. Air traffic controllers posted on X: 'The plane has been guided with the presence of firefighters to a siding where the passengers have had to identify their luggage. 'Landing and takeoff operations have been temporarily interrupted, which has caused some delays.' A spokesperson for the Portuguese military said: 'With the F-16Ms already monitoring the situation to ensure the safety and good management of national airspace, the crew of the civilian aircraft decided to continue the flight to the destination airport, outside national territory. 'Upon leaving the national flight information region, responsibility passed to Spain, with the Portuguese F-16Ms carrying out the handover of the mission and subsequent return to Monte Real.' Authorities are now investigating the incident to find out what happened on the plane. More Trending TUI has been contacted for comment by Metro. In a separate incident, a Ryanair flight crashed into a barrier shortly after landing Kalamata International Airport. The Boeing 737 had landed at the airport on Wednesday morning from London Stansted Airport. Passengers on flight FR6080 reportedly endured 'severe turbulence' during the three-and-a-half-hour flight. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page.
Daily Mirror
16-06-2025
- Daily Mirror
Tourists from huge European country flood Canary Islands and it's not just Brits
The Canary Island set a new benchmark for international tourism, despite ongoing anti-tourist protests - and holidaymakers from one EU country in particular make up the largest tourist segment The Canary Islands are still a major holiday hotspot for Europeans despite cries of overcrowding from locals. According to Spanish publication Canarian Weekly, more than 4.36 million foreign visitors descended on the islands in the first quarter of this year alone - with holidaymakers from one EU country making up the largest segment. And it appears German tourists cannot seem to get enough of the archipelago's sunshine and beaches. Euronews reported that Spain remains the top holiday destination for Germans in 2025, with the Canary Islands leading the way with year-round sun. The Canaries offer an unusually stable subtropical climate, with daytime temperatures rarely falling below 20C even in January. Gran Canaria is often touted as the hottest, retaining such heat due to its proximity to Northern Africa. Like Britain, Germans endure cold and snowy conditions from the months of December through to February. Another strong appeal for German travellers is likely the home comforts that can still be enjoyed in places like Tenerife and Gran Canaria. The undeniable abundance of German tourists over the years mean that popular destinations have adapted to offer German-language menus and Bavarian staples. Direct flights from cities like Frankfurt, Munich, and Berlin also make travel relatively simple. Regular departures to the Canaries from Germany also enable spontaneous and cost-effective travel. A flight from Dusseldorf to Lanzarote takes around four hours and 30 minutes, a similar time-scale to planes departing from London. Germans also have a notorious love of the outdoors and hiking that also makes the Canary Islands particularly appealing. The archipelago is packed with coastal walks and hiking trails, and the laidback lifestyle is ideal for recuperating. It is certainly no surprise why Germans, Brits and all international travellers return again and again to Tenerife and Gran Canaria. However, the frustration of locals and increasing pressure on the housing market exacerbated by expats and tourists is only mounting. Ivan Cerdena Molina, an activist within the protest movement and a member of local environmental group ATAN, voiced his frustration that despite the protests, more tourists visited his homeland last year than the year before. "We had 16 million tourists [in the Canaries] in 2023 and 18 million in 2024. In 2025, the number is increasing again. The government didn't do anything; it just spoke nice words with no real action.", reports the Express . Local governments are also implementing taxes to manage tourism. British holidaymakers heading to the Canary Island of Fuerteventura will soon have to pay a tourist tax. The island's government has confirmed it will introduce the charge for the wild beach of Cofete, the sand dunes of Correlejo and the sea caves of Ajuy. The move will follow the example of Tenerife, which has already started charging visitors to the mountain-top village of Masca and intends to do the same with Mount Teide.
