Hundreds of young Canarians are fed up with the Canary Islands being inundated by tourists. For weeks, the slogan “Canarias has a limit” has been echoing on social media. It is a call for demonstrations to advocate for a different approach to tourism.
The balance between tourism and livability for the Canary Islands residents seems to have been lost for some time. Housing is expensive, the islands are overwhelmed by tourists, and there is discontent among the islanders about the developments in the Canary Archipelago.
Environmental groups, social organisations, and anonymous citizens are therefore organising a protest gathering on Saturday, April 20. Demonstrations against mass tourism will take place across the entire island group, demanding a change in the tourism model. Thousands of young people have expressed their support for the actions. Organisers hope for a historic demand to improve livability in the Canary Islands and better regulate tourism.
Livability for residents is deteriorating due to mass tourism
The trigger for the demonstrations is the lack of regulation of holiday homes and the difficulty in finding rental housing at reasonable prices. According to various young people, the Canary Islands opt for cheap and quickly built hotels, leading to the destruction of beaches, coasts, and protected areas. These are choices that do not benefit the population. The demonstrators want the government to stop “selling” the Canary Islands and its dependence on the system. A system that is actually “impoverishing and even polluting” the archipelago.
The demonstration will sound a cry for a new and more sustainable model for tourism. A model that contributes to a better Canarias instead of a Canarias that adapts to every tourist who visits. Although it is easy to blame tourists, the blame lies mainly with those who “allow tourists to buy unlimited real estate,” according to one of the initiators of the protest.
“Canarias has a limit”
“Canarias has a limit,” (#CanariasTieneUnLimite) with this slogan, demonstrators will take to the streets on Saturday on all eight islands of the Canary Archipelago. Demonstrations are also expected in Madrid, London, and Berlin by Canarian youths who have left the islands. The initiators of the protest also thank the participation of associations and political parties. However, they call on politicians not to take the lead in the demonstration. “It must be a demonstration of the residents, for everyone concerned about the consequences of mass tourism and the overload of resources, housing, healthcare, protected natural areas, low wages, and coexistence with the environment. Canarias is getting exhausted,” they argue.
