“Tourists go home”: Inside the angry protests on Spain’s holiday islands The Guardian https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWmwGnfOKVI Jul 15, 2025 CANARY ISLANDS
In scenes echoed across southern Europe, Spain’s Canary Islands are suffering from a crisis of too many tourists – 18 million are projected to visit in 2025.
On Tenerife, where tourism accounts for 35% of the economy and which draws the largest number of mostly British holidaymakers, it is tourists, not immigrants, who are seen as a threat to local identity. As protests across the Mediterranean continue, local people vent their anger at an exploitative, extractive and unsustainable tourism model. But is it still possible to change course, and are political leaders listening?
Atul S on Whatsapp :If the economy of these islands largely depends on tourism, then why are the local people then revolting against tourism ?
When the canary islands get 18m tourists annually, why are local residents becoming increasingly homeless and living out of their cars despite having a full-time job ?
Who is really benefiting from the mass tourism? These protestors are not against tourism, they are against a particular type of tourism (unfortunately the most widespread form) which benefits only corporations, government at the cost of local community, culture and environment.
Sustainable tourism, diversified economy, eco-friendly constructions is what they are asking for. More power to such citizen-led movements around the globe !
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWmwGnfOKVI
Manas :One idea is to give tourism development in the hands of local specially formed community bodies. If not, the Municipal or panchayat bodies need to have special cells. The forests, parks, monuments, bazaars, and food will do better with local stewards. I have heard of another town in Spain, allowing only a set number of people entering. earlier they recorded 10000+per day, disrupting the locals everyday life and making amenities unaffordable. They now have curbed it to 800. Many tourism spots in India, especially in the hills are extremely vulnerable.