Thousands Protest In Spain’s Canary Islands Over Mass Tourism

Thousands protest in Spain’s Canary Islands over mass tourism, according to footages and official communiqués seen.

Protesters are pushing for a tourism moratorium, claiming that the current model has made living costly and environmentally unsustainable for inhabitants.

Thousands of people rallied in Tenerife on Saturday, urging the Spanish island to temporarily curb tourist arrivals.

They’re holding placards like “People live here” and “We don’t want to see our island die” and calling a halt to short-term holiday rentals and hotel building, which are driving up local housing costs.

The protests are supported by environmental organizations such as Greenpeace, WWF, Ecologists in Action, Friends of the Earth, and SEO/Birdlife.

“We are not against tourism; we are against a model that has resulted in the deterioration of our land and people because tourism profits and growth are not reflected in society,” stated Rosario Correa, Secretary of the ‘Salvar Chira-Soria’ platform.

Eleven people from Canarias se Agota have been fasting for a week in protest of the construction of two massive luxury developments in southern Tenerife, which they consider illegal and completely unnecessary.

According to the police, roughly 20 thousand individuals participated in the protests, however organizers said the figure was closer to 50 thousand, as reported by Spain’s TVE public television.

Rosario Correo, one of the marchers, told TVE, “Our stance is not anti-tourism. We merely call for a departure from this framework that allows for unrestricted expansion of tourism.”

Demonstrators gathered in Madrid and Barcelona to show support for the Canary Island protests.

In 2023, the islands will host 13.9 million visitors, with 2.2 million people living there. Tourism accounts for around 35 percent of the archipelago’s GDP, generating €16.9 billion in 2022 alone.

However, locals claim that the sector depletes natural resources and raises rental prices, making them increasingly expensive.

According to data from Spain’s National Statistics Institute, 33.8 percent of people in the Canaries experience poverty or social exclusion, the greatest rate among any area except Andalucía.

READ ALSO: Volkswagen Workers In Tennessee Pass Historic Vote To Unionize