Thousands across Canary Islands to protest tourism

Thousands are expected to take part in anti-tourism protests in the Canary Islands.

Spain is one of the most popular destinations for British tourists, but the country is struggling to cope with the influx of visitors.

Residents of the popular holiday destination say too much tourism is damaging the environment, driving down wages and squeezing locals out of the housing market. Some are sleeping in their cars or even in caves.

Protestors in Tenerife took part in a hunger strike demanding the Canary Islands government tackle the effects of excess tourism. / Credit: Facebook/Canarias Se Agota

A number of provinces have taken matters into their own hands and are providing guidance – and in some case strict rules – for tourists visiting over the summer, as they try and tackle overcrowding and the problems that come with it.

Tourism represents nearly 12% of Spain’s economy but there has been growing pressure from locals for governments to put measures in place to reduce the number of visitors.

Protestors in Tenerife started a hunger strike on April 12 as part of a wider campaign demanding the Canary Islands government tackle the effects of excess tourism in the region.

Spain receives a huge influx of tourists every year. / Credit: AP

Hundreds of people linked arms to form a human chain to demonstrate against the building of an additional hotel and beach resort, as well as future projects aimed at attracting more tourists. The hunger strike was still underway on Wednesday at the time of writing.

The wider movement is called Canarias Se Agota, which means ‘The Canaries Have Had Enough’.

In an Instagram post the organisation said the Canary Islands are “exhausted” because of the “excessive tourism” and the “lack of attention to the basic needs of the population”.