Canary Islands defend themselves: New demos against mass tourism on Sunday!”

Canary Islands defend themselves: New demos against mass tourism on Sunday!”

A new protest is brewing in the Canary Islands, especially in Fuerteventura. The movement “Canarias tiene un límite” is mobilizing on Sunday, May 18, 2025 to demonstrate against the negative effects of mass tourism. Under the motto “The Canary Islands have a limit,” the organizers are calling for a fundamental reassessment of tourism practices on the islands.

The criticism is aimed primarily at large foreign tour operators. These are seen as the main cause of the current situation and the tourist overload. Jaime Coello, director of the Telesforo Bravo Foundation, highlights that the Spanish government is blocked by economic interests and is not implementing the necessary measures to protect the environment and the quality of life of local residents.

Growing unrest among the population

The resentment among the Canarios is growing as they perceive increasing threats to their quality of life and their cultural heritage from unchecked tourist growth. The island of Fuerteventura in particular suffers from the negative consequences of tourism. The protest movement aims to demand the necessary change towards a more sustainable tourism that respects both the environment and local needs.

Demonstrations are planned in several cities, including Valverde, Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, but also on the Spanish mainland in cities such as Madrid and Barcelona. One of the protesters' central concerns is to bring the political debate about tourism and quality of life back into public consciousness.

Criticism of the government and the previous protests

Previous protests, such as those on April 20, 2024, in which the police spoke of around 20,000 participants and the organizers of almost 50,000, show the population's willingness to mobilize. A variety of demands were expressed at the time, including better control of holiday rental agencies and a moratorium on the construction of new hotels. Despite these clear demands, the impact on politics has so far been limited, which increases frustration among residents. This is also reflected in the need to halt construction of planned hotels on Tenerife and the introduction of an environmental tax for tourists.

To illustrate the economic dimensions of tourism: around 14 million foreign tourists visited the Canary Islands last year, with the majority coming from Great Britain, Germany and the Netherlands. The tourism sector is responsible for around 35% of the Canary Islands' economic output and secures 40% of jobs, which underlines the region's economic dependence on this sector.

The protest movements are not just limited to the Canary Islands. Signs of growing dissatisfaction with mass tourism have been evident across the country in recent months. The population of the Canary Islands, which numbers around 2.2 million people, sees their quality of life increasingly at risk in the face of all these challenges.

With the protests announced on May 18, 2025, the “Canarias tiene un límite” movement hopes to fundamentally change the situation and restart the debate about sustainable tourism practices. Organizers and those involved agree: It is time for a change that focuses on the needs of locals and protecting the environment.

Further information about the protests can be found at Fuerteventura newspaper and daily news.