"Be careful what you wish for!" Brits tell Spanish anti-tourism protesters not to ruin our holiday or "we'll go to Greece instead!" as Tenerife set to be crippled by mass demonstrations
British holidaymakers are bracing for 'unprecedented' anti-tourism protests across the Canary Islands this weekend.
Hundreds of thousands of fed-up locals are set to take to the streets on Sunday over what they claim is an 'excessive' tourism model.
Under the slogan 'Canarias tiene un limite' (The Canaries has a limit), the demonstrators will gather from 11am on the islands of Tenerife, La Gomera, Gran Canaria, El Hierro, Lanzarote and La Palma.
'Solidarity protests' will also take place in various cities on the mainland, including Madrid, Valencia and Barcelona.
Activists believe the current tourism model is 'unsustainable' and pushing the islands toward collapse.
They want to limit the number of tourists visiting the islands, ban new hotel construction and introduce a tougher tourist tax, among other measures.
But Brits holidaying in Tenerife this weekend told MailOnline the locals 'should be careful what they wish for.'
'I think it's stupid,' said Dave Dott, 60, from Glasgow.
Speaking from the beach promenade in Los Cristianos, Tenerife, he added: 'This island will collapse if the protesters get their way… without tourism the island has nothing.
'I've been coming here for decades and they won't put me off. I think it's a small but loud minority, they obviously don't care about the service sector which would be massively impacted.'
Paul Nixon, 60, from Staffordshire has also been visiting Tenerife for years.
He told MailOnline: 'I think they need to be careful what they wish for, the island is so dependent on tourism.
'I think bookings are down already to be honest, it seems quieter this year.
'I saw they were spraying tourists with water in Barcelona which is completely wrong, if they started doing that here then we would definitely be put off coming.'
He added: 'Everyone has the right to protest but they really need to be careful what they wish for.
'And how can you stop people going on holidays? How do you put a stop to it without upsetting people? I think they are running the risk of destroying what they have built.'
Steven and Michelle Ross, aged 55 and 56 respectively, face having their holiday disrupted for a second time after being caught up in previous anti-tourism demonstrations.
Michelle said: 'Last year we were walking from the beach then suddenly saw thousands of locals coming towards us.
'It was relatively peaceful but they were holding up signs saying 'tourists go home', which doesn't make you feel too welcome.
'We've been looking up the route of the protest to make sure we don't get caught up in it again so I think we're safe… but I'd be really upset if we had to holiday somewhere else.'
Steven agreed, adding: 'We've been coming here 15 years, if they really don't want us here we will look elsewhere…
'While I can see some things from their point of view, if fewer people come, there's a lot of jobs affected, it's their number one source of income, it was built on tourism - and how do you police fewer tourists?'
Meanwhile, Staffordshire couple Olwyn and Dave Hughes, both 71, said they will 'go back to the Greek islands' if the protests become too much.
Dave said: 'It's our 14th time here and we are not put off yet, but I think a lot of people have been, because it is usually rammed now and it is much quieter than last year.
'I understand that housing is a big issue, what they're facing is the equivalent of Americans snapping up all the homes in Cornwall for second residences, some of the locals have no chance of buying.
'But without tourists, so many people, like the thousands of taxi drivers, wouldn't have jobs.
'And we don't like what we see on the TV, all the 'tourists go home' stuff, if it gets too much or we don't feel wanted we will go back to the Greek islands instead.'
The Canary Islands has a population of 2.2million people, but welcomes around 18million holidaymakers each year - which locals say is placing a strain on resources, causing jet fuel pollution, traffic chaos and a host of other issues.
For this reason, activists are calling for a cap on the number of holidaymakers, to prevent overcrowding and resource depletion.
Among their other demands is a ban on any new hotels or tourism apartment complexes, and the immediate demolition of projects already declared illegal.
These include large-scale luxury projects like the Cuna del Alma and La Tejita hotels in Tenerife, which they accuse of causing environmental harm.
They also want a 'significant' tourist eco-tax that will be used to pay for the conservation and maintenance of natural spaces.
One of the biggest gripes is the surge in Airbnb-style properties, which has been blamed for rising house costs and the dwindling supply of homes to rent or buy. Therefore, protesters want much stricter controls on vacation rentals to alleviate the housing crisis.
Another housing issue is the high number of properties being snapped up by foreign purchasers, which locals say is behind skyrocketing prices. They therefore want to ban or restrict the ability of non-residents to buy homes.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
UK agrees to check-free land border for Gibraltar but EU controls for flights
The UK has reached a deal with the EU over Gibraltar's border with Spain that will allow travellers to cross by land without checks. The agreement on a 'fluid border' clears the way to finalise a post-Brexit deal on the territory with the EU. But those flying into Gibraltar from the UK will face one check from Gibraltarian officials and another by the Spanish on behalf of the EU. This is because the land border will allow those arriving by air access to the European Schengen free travel area unchecked once they are in Gibraltar. The UK and Gibraltar insisted the changes would not affect the British overseas territory's sovereignty. The airport will operate under a model similar to London's St Pancras station, where passengers pass through both UK and French passport checks to board international trains. Goods and customs checks will also eventually be removed in both directions under the agreement. The move could also see airlines start to add flights to Gibraltar from countries other than the UK in a boost to tourism. Officials say a hard border would have been introduced under the EU's incoming exit and entry control system if no deal was reached, causing delays for some 15,000 people who cross the border every day as every individual passport was checked. Talks on rules governing the border have been ongoing since Britain left the European Union in 2020. Foreign Secretary David Lammy said the previous Tory government left behind a situation that 'put Gibraltar's economy and way of life under threat'. He said the agreement was a 'breakthrough' after years of uncertainty. He said: 'Alongside the government of Gibraltar, we have reached an agreement which protects British sovereignty, supports Gibraltar's economy and allows businesses to plan for the long-term once again. 'I thank the chief minister and his government for their tireless dedication throughout the negotiations. The UK's commitment to Gibraltar remains as solid as The Rock itself.' Spanish foreign minister Jose Albares said the deal marked 'a new beginning' in the relationship between the UK and Spain. He said that Spain 'will guarantee free movement of people and goods', adding that Gibraltar would now be linked to the Schengen Area with Spanish authorities controlling entry and exit. President of the EU Commission Ursula von der Leyen welcomed the deal. In a post on X, she said: 'It safeguards the integrity of Schengen and the single market, while ensuring stability, legal certainty and prosperity for the region.' Gibraltar's chief minister Fabian Picardo said the deal would 'protect future generations of British Gibraltarians and does not in any way affect our British sovereignty'. 'Now is the time to look beyond the arguments of the past and towards a time of renewed co-operation and understanding. Now the deal is done, it's time to finalise the treaty,' he said. On Wednesday evening, Sir Keir Starmer spoke with Mr Picardo and thanked him for 'his years of hard work, commitment, and leadership to reach an agreement'. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez also had a phone call with Sir Keir, and congratulated the British PM because 'his Government had succeeded where others had failed'. The Conservatives have said they will carefully review the UK's agreement with the EU on Gibraltar's border to see if it crosses any 'red lines' the party set out during its own negotiations when in government. Shadow foreign secretary Priti Patel said: 'Gibraltar is British, and given Labour's record of surrendering our territory and paying for the privilege, we will be reviewing carefully all the details of any agreement that is reached.' Mr Lammy held talks with Gibraltar's leaders, members of the opposition and the business community before leaving the British overseas territory to head to Brussels on Wednesday morning. Gibraltar was ceded to the UK by Spain in 1713 and the population is heavily in favour of remaining a British overseas territory. The last time it voted on a proposal to share sovereignty with Spain, in 2002, almost 99% of Gibraltarians rejected the move. Gibraltar also hosts an RAF base at its airport and an important naval facility.
The Sun
2 hours ago
- The Sun
Arsenal star David Raya dresses as an air stewardess and serves passengers in hilarious pics from Las Vegas stag do
ARSENAL ace David Raya jetted off to Las Vegas for his stag do with close friends. Raya, 29, helped the Gunners finish second in the Premier League with some solid performances between the sticks that also contributed to his team's run to the Champions League semi-finals. 8 8 8 8 But now the goalkeeper is gearing up for his wedding with model fiancee Tatiana Trouboul. The Spain international proposed to Tatiana in October of last year and they are now set to marry. And the Spain international has kicked off the wedding preparations with a bachelor party in Sin City. Raya was joined by his brother Oscar as well as Spanish comedian Tomas Garcia Serrano. A number of footballers also linked up with them including Getafe's Diego Rico Salguero as well as Rayo Vallecano's Adri Embarba and Unai Lopez. All of them took to the streets of Vegas wearing Arsenal gear and taking group photos. But before making it to the US, Raya was pictured dressed as an air stewardess during the flight. The keeper appeared to be serving other passengers cookies on board the aircraft. Tatiana and Raya have been together since 2021 but left it until June 2022 to go public with their relationship. The model heralds from Barcelona but has since moved her life to London to be alongside Raya. Arsenal star David Raya cosies up to model fiancee on yacht as she leaves little to imagination in see-through tights She previously divided her time between the capital and Spain. 8 8 8 8
Telegraph
3 hours ago
- Telegraph
Tuchel's England is meant to be fun – but this is a joy-free zone
There were a few comments from England players as they arrived at the opulent XLR Executive Jet Centre in Birmingham. With an unbranded private plane waiting to take them to the Spanish Grand Prix, the gist of the remarks was that this was an early start. Who exactly relishes an early-morning flight anyway? At XLR, they pride themselves on being the ultimate in private, luxury travel, where 'every detail, request, and preference is meticulously anticipated in advance'. But it is still a journey at the crack of dawn. Other footballers were flying away with their families after a gruelling Premier League campaign but there was one final end-of-season camp for Thomas Tuchel's players. They were dressed in civvies – Kyle Walker in an eye-catching tank top – as they headed to Circuit de Catalunya, Barcelona, before the start of warm-weather training. Declan Rice and Ezri Konsa were allowed to skip the Formula One as they were attending Jarrod Bowen's wedding, but the rest of the squad took selfies with pit crews and posed with shirts. Bukayo Saka seemingly did not get the memo about the unwritten grid-walk rule about giving interviews to Martin Brundle, but all-in-all it was described as 'good team-bonding' by one player. As much as players enjoyed the F1, this was still Tuchel's first taste of keeping the squad engaged during the summertime away from home. It has always been an issue for an England manager, never more apparent than during the Fabio Capello days when players were bored and isolated in their hotel rooms. Gareth Southgate set up a basketball court and chipping green at St George's Park during Euro 2020, then last summer there were padel courts at their base in Blankenhain, Germany. This was only a mini-break – and at the end of a long season – but it was worrying to hear that Tuchel saw no joy on the faces of his squad when they crossed the white line and played with the Three Lions on their chest during this international break. He will have to find a way to make it fun to go away with England. Of course, winning matches with conviction will help. His message when he first met the squad was that he wanted to put another star on the England shirt – the eternal legacy of a World Cup triumph. This meant every match counted, even if a qualifier was against lowly Andorra. Or a friendly against Senegal some 10 months after the season started. The German coach even counted up the sessions he would have before next year's tournament: 24 training days in total. There were six international breaks before the end of next season, and, with two already down, it has been a baptism of fire: jeered off after two worrying performances, questions over players' attitudes and confusing selection calls. Changes to the Southgate set-up It was always going to be a different dynamic to the previous era. Reporting on Gareth Southgate's team over eight years, it became apparent there was a bigger picture to winning football matches and reaching tournament finals. Over time, players matured and the culture of the squad changed. By coming with the sole aim of winning the World Cup, Tuchel's reign will only be defined by whether he is lifting the trophy in New Jersey next July. There have been changes from the Southgate era in the past two camps, even if they are small. There is an 'optional' squad breakfast between 9am and 11am, later in the morning in a move away from the strict timings under previous managers. Southgate used to start training sessions in the morning, which offered players an opportunity to sleep at some point in the afternoon. Under Tuchel, training starts in the afternoon. It is part of Tuchel's plan to build a 'brotherhood' spirit among his squad. The coach also embraced each player when they arrived in the lobby of their St George's Park base back in March when they met up for the first time. There have been new voices on the training pitches, with the accent of French-born Nicolas Mayer heard during sessions. Anthony Barry, a Liverpudlian, also takes drills. For the warm-weather training at the Camiral Golf and Wellness resort, in Girona, players strapped heart-rate monitors on their chests and applied sun cream before being put through their paces. The team selection for the two matches pointed to where players stood in the pecking order. Jordan Henderson, 35 next week, was given his first start since November 2023 and Tuchel wants him in the squad as he raises the standards of his team-mates. Tuchel also wanted to use an inverted right-back to move into midfield against an Andorra team not interested in attacking. Rather than Trent Alexander-Arnold who played there all season for Liverpool, Tuchel picked Curtis Jones, who started there three times in the title-winning team. Ivan Toney was said to have trained well all camp and there was a degree of surprise from some team-mates that he only got the final three minutes plus stoppage-time against Senegal, when England were chasing the game and on the brink of a first defeat by an African nation. There were theories that Tuchel called up Toney to look at him in person, rather than watching him in the Saudi Pro League in a lower standard of football. But taking off Harry Kane for the final half an hour and leaving Toney on the bench hinted at what Tuchel thinks of the Al-Ahli striker. At the final whistle there were jeers and the odd call of 'Tuchel out' as fans headed to the exits. One of Tuchel's messages to players is the importance of body language. He wants them to high-five like basketball players in the NBA, so the way players look like the enjoyment has been zapped out of them was the biggest concern. Contrast that to the Senegalese players signing and dancing in their dressing room, with manager Pape Thiaw banging on tables like he was beating a drum. It was like they had won the World Cup, which feels a long way from where England are.
