logo
Enough is enough!' chant raging anti-tourist protesters as thousands flood the streets in Canary Islands

Enough is enough!' chant raging anti-tourist protesters as thousands flood the streets in Canary Islands

The Irish Sun18-05-2025
THOUSANDS have flooded the streets of the popular Canary Islands in Spain's third wave of protests against overtourism this year.
Locals across the
Advertisement
9
Thousands in the Canaries protested on Sunday
Credit: Alamy
9
Protesters gather in front of the Sagrada Familia under the slogan - 'The Canary Islands have a limit'
Credit: Getty
9
Protesters hold up the slogan - 'They want to take over my neighbourhood and make my grandma leave'
Credit: Alamy
9
Thousands of people are known to attend these protests, often held in dozens of cities across Spain
In Santa Cruz alone, Tenerife's capital, around 7,000 people are estimated to be on the streets by Spanish security forces.
In Gran Canaria, around 3,000 people are estimated to be present.
The organisers, a group named "The
Canary Islands
have a limit", say the turnout has been "very high".
Advertisement
Read more on Spain
While no incidents have been reported since the marches began at 11am, police remain on the scene.
Campaigners claim that despite previous protests, no changes have been made by the government.
The slogan of the march has been: "The Canary Islands are not for sale, they are loved and defended."
Other banners read: "The Canary Islands have a limit and so does our patience" and "Enough is enough!"
Advertisement
Most read in The Sun
Live Blog
Exclusive
Thousands of anti-tourist protesters flood Spanish hols hotspots & call on mob to super glue holiday rental locks
Locals are calling for three key measures:
Tourist moratorium:
A freeze on new hotel and holiday rental licences, especially in overcrowded areas, to ease pressure on resources and protect rural and coastal land.
Ecotax:
A tourist tax to fund public services and offset the environmental impact of mass tourism.
Holiday rental regulation:
Stricter controls on platforms like Airbnb and real estate speculation to keep housing affordable for residents.
It comes as
According to the Canarian Trade Union Federation, the wealth generated by tourism should be distributed more fairly to improve the labour and wage rights of more than 170,000 tourism workers in the Canaries.
Advertisement
They also demand fairer distribution of tourism revenue to improve life for Canarians - boosting public services like healthcare, affordable housing and transport to fix the current road collapses.
9
Protesters in the streets
Credit: Alamy
9
Protesters with the slogan - 'The Canary Islands are not for sale, they are loved and defended'
9
Spain's widespread anti-tourism protests began in April 2024
Advertisement
"The Canary Islands have a limit" movement argues the Canaries' current economic model is "based on touristification, speculation, inequality and infinite growth in a very limited land".
The campaigners said that despite the "massive demonstrations", authorities have ignored their demands with "regressive" regulations, only "deepening the social, economic and environmental crisis".
The movement has issued ten key demands, including halting destructive developments, imposing a tourist tax, enforcing a moratorium on new tourist projects, protecting natural areas and stopping sea pollution, among others.
The campaigners they will continue protests throughout the summer and are planning boycotts and sit-ins.
Advertisement
9
Up to 50,000 people are believed to have protested in Tenerife in April 2024
9
What is overtourism?
Overtourism refers to the phenomenon where a destination experiences a volume of tourists that exceeds its manageable capacity
The term is often used to describe the negative consequences of mass tourism, which includes overcrowding and environmental issues
As a result, popular destinations have become less enjoyable for both visitors and locals
Local communities, in particular, bear the brunt, facing rising costs and a depletion of resources
In response, national and local governments have started to implement measures to reduce overtourism
Some solutions include:
Safeguarding historical and heritage sites
Promoting off-peak travel
Tourism caps and regulations
Promoting lesser-known destinations
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

‘That is too much' – Arsenal star BLOCKED from visiting certain countries during the summer by the club
‘That is too much' – Arsenal star BLOCKED from visiting certain countries during the summer by the club

The Irish Sun

time20 hours ago

  • The Irish Sun

‘That is too much' – Arsenal star BLOCKED from visiting certain countries during the summer by the club

JURRIEN TIMBER had his own private fitness expert during the summer while recovering from an ankle operation. The Arsenal defender worked with one of the club's medical experts while abroad. 3 Jurrien Timber was blocked from going to certain countries by Arsenal as he worked with medical experts Credit: Getty 3 But the defender insists he is now ready to go for the new season Credit: Getty Advertisement But he was told to cut down on his list of places he wanted to go to. Timber, a £34million arrival from Ajax two years ago, is now fit and ready to start the season. He explained: 'I had an ankle operation at the end of the season. "I had to take something out that was bothering me for a long time. I feel good now. Advertisement READ MORE IN FOOTBALL JURR-Y'S OUT Jurrien Timber admits Arsenal 'don't know what to expect' from Man Utd 'During the summer, I went to a lot of nice places. At the same time I was doing rehab. "I have been to Turkey and Curacao, where my mum is from. 3 'I went to Miami for a couple of days and Marbella. It was good. Advertisement "And I went to Asia with the club, of course. I have seen the whole world in two months! SUN VEGAS WELCOME OFFER: GET £50 BONUS WHEN YOU JOIN 'I had someone with me from the club helping me with my recovery. "I had more places I wanted to go to, but the club said: 'That is too much!'' Arsenal new-boy reveals how to pronounce name properly… and you've been saying it all wrong for years Timber has played 51 times for the Gunners since his arrival, scoring two goals, including one against today's opponent, Manchester United. Advertisement Arsenal visit the Red Devils for their Premier League season opener in Super Sunday's late kick-off.

Beautiful Croatian hilltop village that was used as a dupe for city of Nottingham in the Robin Hood movie
Beautiful Croatian hilltop village that was used as a dupe for city of Nottingham in the Robin Hood movie

The Irish Sun

time21 hours ago

  • The Irish Sun

Beautiful Croatian hilltop village that was used as a dupe for city of Nottingham in the Robin Hood movie

ON the beautiful Istria peninsula is a tiny cobbled village that has doubled as the UK city of Nottingham. An hour away from the Croatian city of Pula is the pretty village of Završje, it sits on a hilltop, has winding streets and stone houses with terracotta rooftops. 5 Završje sits on a hilltop on the Istria peninsula Credit: Alamy 5 The village appeared in the 2018 adaptation of Robin Hood Credit: Alamy There are plenty of pretty hidden gems on the Istria peninsula, one of them being the Završje. The village is tiny, with the last population consensus in 2021 revealing that just 39 people lived there. More people might have seen it than first thought though, as in 2018 it appeared in a blockbuster movie. Završje stood in for 12th century Nottingham in the Robin Hood film starring Taron Egerton, Jamie Foxx and Eve Hewson. The town's medieval look made it the ideal backdrop for the movie's scenes and were used for the end battle between Robin Hood and the Sheriff of Nottingham. Završje has its very own leaning tower - the church tower is 22 metres tall and leans about 40cm because of the unstable ground it was built on. Once you've had a walk around the tiny village, there's plenty more to do in Istria - the heart-shaped peninsula boasts incredible beaches, cities and historical sites. Its Ancient Roman buildings have led to many comparisons with Italy, and the city of Pula's Roman amphitheatre is the sixth largest in the world. It's also one of the best-preserved in the world with its outer walls and four side towers mostly intact. Tickets for entry to the Arena can be purchased at the main entrance - adults are €10 (£8.64) and students are €5 (£4.32). The sun-soaked Croatian island that's a secret a celeb hot spot 5 Pula's Roman amphitheatre is the sixth largest in the world Credit: Alamy 5 There are plenty of beautiful beaches on the peninsula Credit: Getty The best beaches on Tripadvisor in Istria include Fazana Beach, Cuvi Beach and Mulini Beach. One of the top attractions is the Punta Kamenjak National Park where you can go swimming and snorkelling. Essential spots to see include the Old Town, Baredine Cave, Port of Rovinj and Church of St Euphemia. Istria is also home to Croatia's largest waterpark Aquapark Porec Aquacolors. It boasts several huge waterslides, including the Freefall, a 48-metre long drop and Turbolance which features a steep drop, reverses and a splash pool, all while taking "crazy photos" of riders. However, there are also calmer rides for youngsters including family rafting slides. The park has a TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice Award due to the number of positive ratings it has received. One visitor wrote: "Awesome place, so much fun and adrenaline. Would come again, definitely! Make sure you arrive early because there is so many slides you will want to try." Another person added: "The children's area was amazing! Our kids loved it!" You can fly direct from the UK to Pula Airport in just over two hours. Flights are with easyJet and Ryanair and start from £31. Discover more on Croatia including its largest island which has hilltop towns, sandy beaches and it's own airport. And the 'secret' pirate beach town on one of Europe's most popular coasts.

Irish tourists warning as 45C temps in Spain hotspots prompt RED weather alerts
Irish tourists warning as 45C temps in Spain hotspots prompt RED weather alerts

Irish Daily Mirror

time21 hours ago

  • Irish Daily Mirror

Irish tourists warning as 45C temps in Spain hotspots prompt RED weather alerts

Irish tourists have been warned about extreme temperatures in some of Spain's tourist hotspots after a series of red weather alerts were issued on Sunday. The official Spanish meteorological service, AEMET, has issued red alerts to 19 areas across the country, including areas such as Andalusia, Catalonia and Valencia, with popular locations such as Alicante, Cadiz, Girona and Seville also affected. Maximum temperatures in areas affected by the red alerts are expected to reach between 40 and 45C on Sunday between the hours of 11am and 9pm. Elsewhere in Spain, areas such as Madrid and the Balearic Islands have been issued with orange alerts, with temperatures in parts of Ibiza and Majorca set to reach 42C. The affected 19 areas issued with red alerts have been classified as having 'extreme risk', which applies to 'unusual weather events of exceptional intensity and with a very high level of risk to the population'. Red weather alerts have been issued to multiple areas in Spain (Image: AEMET) In these circumstances, people in affected areas are urged to 'take preventative measures and act', to follow the instructions of local authorities, avoid unnecessary travel and constantly check weather updates. The alerts come after a rare 'black flag' warning was issued to tourists visiting La Gracios in the Canary Islands last week. La Graciosa, a volcanic island, sits approximately 1.2 miles north of Lanzarote across the Strait of El Río. Similar to other Canary Islands, it was created by the Canary hotspot - a plume of exceptionally hot magma within the Earth's mantle. The Spanish territory has been characterised as one of Europe's final destinations without tarmacked roads and amongst the least discovered and most tranquil of the Canary Islands. The island forms a volcanic massif sculpted by molten ash and lava, contributing to its striking landscape. Playa de Caleta de Sebo, the "town beach" of La Graciosa's capital, alongside Playa de la Francesa, situated slightly further down the coastline, featured on the yearly Black Flag catalogue released by environmental organisation Ecologistas en Acción (Ecologists in Action). Ecologistas en Acción's yearly assessment, which has been exposing environmental mismanagement across Spain since 2005, catalogues the beaches awarded a black flag this year. According to Ecologists in Action, the beach at Caleta de Sebo remains in a "poor state of conservation", with debris from vessels, beachgoers and eateries adding to contamination. At Playa de la Francesa, locals highlight concerns about catamaran excursions descending upon the location "holding parties, meals, games, and contests with loud music and leaving waste behind on the sand and in the water". Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: Sign up here. The Irish Mirror's Crime Writers Michael O'Toole and Paul Healy are writing a new weekly newsletter called Crime Ireland. Click here to sign up and get it delivered to your inbox every week

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store