Lanzarote holiday fears latest as Irish bar staff reveal new local ‘frustration' details before fresh wave of protests
IRISH holidaymakers are continuing to swarm to the Canary Islands despite some locals demanding that they "go home" amid fears the archipelago is "collapsing" under tourist pressure.
The
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Tourist protests have been occurring over the past year
Credit: AFP - Getty
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Disgruntled locals have been holding protests against the country's huge tourism industry
Credit: EPA
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Graffiti reading 'tourists go home' has been popping up in hotspots
Credit: Alamy Live News
Disgruntled locals have been holding protests against the country's huge
Locals are taking action against rising costs of residential
The latest figures revealed that the average cost of rent throughout Spain has doubled, with property prices increasing by a staggering 44 per cent over the past decade.
The availability of residential lets in many of these areas has also fallen, adding fuel to the fire.
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READ MORE ON PROTESTS
However, despite pushback on tourism from officials and locals alike, Irish bars in
Rebecca Flanagan, from Nelly's Irish Bar in the Old Town of Puerto del Carmen, said there is "definitely no decrease in Irish tourists" since the
She told
"We are all short staffed because of the lack of long term rentals, a lot of these holiday lets have no licence, so no tax is being paid."
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While there is pushback on this aspect of tourism in Spain and its islands, the nation relies heavily on traffic from the industry.
I'm a Lanzarote ladette who drinks all day & sunbed hogs, I pay locals' wages, I'm fuming they're moaning about tourists
Rebecca said around 85 per cent of people on the island of
However, many have been left frustrated and feel hard done by as they can no longer afford high rents and house prices.
She said: "They love the tourist industry but are just frustrated that they can't afford to own a house and their children will definitely not be able to afford a house.
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"I have two children who were born here, 18 and 16, they will both be leaving the island to go to mainland Spain to study and they will probably never be able to afford a property here."
'WE ARE LUCKY'
More than one million foreign tourists visit the Canary Islands each month, compared to a local population of 2.2 million, according to official data.
And Spain, which had a record number of tourist arrivals in 2024, expects even more visitors this year.
When it comes to running a business in the Canary Islands, Rebecca said there has been little difference in their trade.
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She said: "As far as the business goes we are lucky, we are doing well with a good repeat trade so the demonstrations haven't affected us."
LOCALS' FRUSTRATION
Protests over the past year have already seen
Separate
And further action is planned this month, next month, and into the summer.
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New protest action throughout June will see protestors will block access to famous attractions, such as the Sagrada Familia.
Similar events will take place across the
It is understood demonstrations at airports are also planned and protesters will blockade buses carrying tourists.
Canarias tiene un límite, a group meaning 'the Canary Islands have a limit', previously told how people are "tired of being ignored and mistreated".
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It added: "We're still lacking a true change of model that guarantees a decent future for the people who live in these islands."
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Nelly's Irish Bar in Lanzarote has not seen a decrease in tourism despite the protests
Credit: Social media collect
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New protest action throughout June will see protestors will block access to famous attractions
Credit: Alamy Live News
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The bar is still enjoying a strong trade
Credit: Social media collect
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