Yahoo News New Canary Islands holiday rules that could be brought in following protests
Tourists are being warned they could face new rules in the Canary Islands following protests in the holiday destination.
Over the weekend, thousands of people staged a protest over so-called "overtourism" in Lanzarote, Tenerife and beyond, with locals increasingly fed up over an influx of holidaymakers. An angry anti-tourist movement has been gaining momentum throughout the Canary Islands in recent months - as locals say "enough is enough".
Lanzarote, Tenerife and other island locals have warned the Canary Islands "have a limit" when it comes to tourism. Residents have moved to blast visitors with anti-tourism graffiti and local campaigns demonstrating over the influx of people on the holiday hotspot, reports BirminghamLive.
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The seven main Canary Islands are home to 2.2 million people and in 2023, nearly 14 million international tourists visited them - up 13% from the previous year. To combat the rising tide of visitors, the local authorities could introduce new rules and regulations.
Visitor limits
Rosa Dávila, the first female president of Tenerife, proposed visitor limits. She warned: "In addition, there have to be limits to prevent tourism from overflowing."
Tourism accounts for 35% of the gross domestic product (GDP) in the Canary Islands, but demonstrators say changes to the industry must be made. Groups protested in Tenerife, Lanzarote, Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura and La Palma on Saturday.
Eco-tax
Davila proposed a new tourism model that would charge visitors a fee to access natural spaces. She is also advocating measures to "modulate" the number of tourists arriving in Tenerife - and "study the impact of demographic growth.
She said after the mass protests: "We must analyze the exceptionalities that can be applied in a territory as fragile and limited as ours. What is clear is that Tenerife cannot be a theme park. Those who visit us have to value and respect our natural and cultural wealth, our resources, and they have to be clear about the rules for their preservation."
Daily tax
President of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo, previously warned that a daily cost for visitors could be on the table. While not included in current plans, Clavijo said the government is willing to look at suggestions of a three euro per night charge.
He said last Friday: "It is true that the ecotax is not included in the government program, but it is also true that we are willing to discuss it; the government will always engage in dialogue."
