Canary Islands: UK holidaymakers warned over anti-tourism protests
Demonstrations are due to take place in Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura
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Travellers headed to the Canary Islands for half-term holidays have been warned to expect anti-tourism protests in “key tourist areas”.
Following local concerns about the impact of overtourism, mass protests are reportedly planned across the Spanish islands to coincide with World Tourism Day on 20 October.
Demonstration locations include the Metropolis Commercial Centre in Playa Las Americas, Tenerife, Maspalomas in Gran Canaria, and Corralejo in Fuerteventura – all popular tourist destinations for winter sun – according to Canarian Weekly.
Organisers say the protests aim to address the region’s economic model that champions tourism first and the quality of life for residents and the environment second.
Alternatives to the current economic model are expected to be announced by the Canary Islands government soon from the findings of five working groups.
Jaime Coello Bravo, director of the Telesforo Bravo Canary Foundation, told the outlet that the government has not engaged with the group’s environmental and social concerns since their first protests.
The demonstrations come after a wave of overtourism protests swept Spain this summer.
On 20 April, thousands took to the streets of the Tenerife to protest against mass tourism.
Holding placards reading “People live here” and “We don’t want to see our island die”, campaigners said changes must be made to the tourism industry that accounts for 35 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) in the Canary Islands archipelago.
The organisations said local authorities should temporarily limit visitor numbers to alleviate pressure on the islands’ environment, infrastructure and housing stock, with curbs on property purchases by foreigners.
In Barcelona, diners were drenched with water pistols by disgruntled locals who called for holidaymakers to go home.
The Spanish locals chanted “tourists go home” with placards that read “Enough! Let’s put limits on tourism” in the demonstration against overtourism.
Video footage showed holidaymakers dining outside popular squares in the city being doused with water pistols and cordoned off using hazard tape by a crowd of almost 3,000.
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