Tourists in Spain told 'go home' as government considers holiday hotspot crackdown

British holidaymakers in Spain have been met with a stark message to "go home" as tensions rise over tourism.

The Spanish government has stepped in amid growing discontent among residents of the Canary Islands, where Tenerife and Lanzarote are seeing protests against "overtourism".

The situation has escalated to the point where Spain's government is considering tough measures after it was revealed that only 2.4 percent of housing in the country is public, a figure significantly lower than the European average of 9 percent. Housing Minister Isabel Rodriguez has indicated that the government is ready to "directly intervene".

The Canary Islands - along with destinations such as Ibiza, Menorca, Majorca, Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Malaga, Seville, and others - remain top choices for millions of British tourists each year. As previously reported by The Canarian Weekly, local graffiti include messages reading 'Tourists go home,' 'My misery your paradise,' and 'Average salary in Canary Islands is 1,200'.

As reported by Birmingham Live Ms Rodriguez spoke to Cadena Ser Radio on Thursday about plans to potentially restrict the number of holiday apartments available in Spain. She acknowledged a deficit of 1.5 million in public housing, but expressed her belief that addressing the issue could lead to more reasonable rental and sales prices.

Jorge Marichal, president of the regional hotel association ASHOTEL, shared his understanding of the local sentiment during an interview with Spanish radio station COPE. He expressed his concerns prior to the scheduled protests on April 20.

Mr Marichal stated: "It pains me because people confuse the message. We don't have to be anti-tourist. What we have to do is demand infrastructures in accordance with the tourist model that's been chosen."

He further explained: "And we have to understand that the tourist model has changed because of technology and Airbnb and the fact property owners have converted those properties into businesses with very lax regulation and that the growth in the amount of tourist accommodation has not been matched by the investment in infrastructure."

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