Canary Islands expecting bleak summer amid violence warnings
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info
A significant drop in hotel reservations this summer is sparking concern in the Canary Islands. Last year, 6.2 million international tourists were drawn to Tenerife - attracted by its consistently warm weather, affordable alcohol, sandy beaches, and renowned water park.
But the influx was met with strong opposition from disgruntled locals. They claim they're being pushed out of the housing market due to the skyrocketing demand for holiday rentals.
There are also worries about boisterous tourists ruining the island's national parks and congesting the roads. A series of protests erupted across Spain with exasperated residents telling holidaymakers to "go home". Sign up now for the latest news on the North Wales Live Whatsapp community
Earlier this year, The Mirror reported on Spain's "grim" pledge to tourists ahead of the bustling summer season, as activists promised to escalate their actions against sun-seeking Brits. This follows a growing anti-tourist sentiment throughout the country, which has even turned violent.
In March, a chilling sign threatening to "Kill A Tourist" was seen in Tenerife. Reports later surfaced that protesters had gone to the extreme of setting rental cars ablaze to convey their stark message, reports the Mirror.
But despite a strong start to the year with 775,205 international visitors flocking to the Canary Islands in January, marking a 3.05 per cent increase from 2024, it seems that holidaymakers are now heeding warnings as tourism operators report a downturn in bookings for the upcoming summer season.
During the Easter holidays, amid industrial action, Pedro Aldonso, president of the CEOE business association in Tenerife, reportedly highlighted the fragility of the industry, saying "every small collapse has an echo in trust". He emphasised the importance of confidence, stating: "When confidence falls, investment comes to a halt," and called for a return to "dialogue, trust, and common sense".
The Canarian Weekly quoted the tourism chief as saying: "This is not about making headlines. It's about safeguarding jobs," suggesting that the current dip could be swiftly countered by a rise in "last-minute" holiday reservations.
Spain's deepening housing crisis and upcoming protests against tourism may inadvertently boost lesser-known destinations such as Turkey, which anticipates a record influx of tourists this year. Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Ersoy previously announced that Turkey is experiencing a surge in visitors, particularly from Russia, Germany, and the UK.
And the politician highlighted Turkey's popularity, stating: "Turkey has become the country with the highest number of early reservations in Germany."
He set ambitious targets: "We aim to welcome over seven million visitors from both Russia and Germany this year. Additionally, we expect 4.8 million visitors from the UK in 2025."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
an hour ago
- Scottish Sun
I help Brits move to Spain -these stunning beach towns with 3-bed homes from £500-a-month are perfect for expats
Do you imagine yourself soaking up the sun after work and spending weekends sipping €3 Cava under a palm tree? A mum who helps Brit families relocate to Spain reveals the best areas to move to on a budget COSTA LITTLE I help Brits move to Spain -these stunning beach towns with 3-bed homes from £500-a-month are perfect for expats Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) ONE in five Brits admit to daydreaming about ditching the UK for a new life in sunny Spain. It's no surprise when you discover you can escape the Great British gloom for a three-bed in the Med for just £500-a-month. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 8 Milene Adaime runs a business that helps people follow their dreams and move to Spain 8 Areas like Villajoyosa have a more authentic vibe Credit: Getty The 2024 British Expat Report shows even more British families are considering emigrating in the next five years, with 11 per cent ready to leave right now. According to the data, 532,000 Brits emigrated last year, with 45% craving a better quality of life, 39% blaming the cost-of-living crisis and 37% just sick of our miserable weather. Millene Adaime works for relocation experts, Movinn, who help people move to Spain and Portugal from overseas. Over recent years, the demand for expats seeking a new life in Spain has increased, with more families reaching out to them for help. She told Sun Travel: "Spain used to have the reputation of being somewhere to retire to in your 60s and 70s, but we are getting more requests from modern families or young entrepreneurs who are looking for a different way of life. "The cost of living here is more affordable, and, of course, we have a fantastic climate." With demand growing, areas typically popular with Brits flying south for the sun are becoming crowded and more expensive. Boozy Benidorm has long been the Brit bolthole of choice, but Millene says the party playground is not necessarily the cheapest spot on the coast. She said: "Brits tend to favour areas they already know, like Benidorm, and due to the popularity of British movers to the area, the suburbs outside the tourist hub are very nice and very desirable. "However, the downside is that prices are on the rise and it's not the cheapest place to move to now." 8 Benidorm can be very crowded. Credit: Getty 8 Think about where your kids will be going to school in Spain Credit: Getty Plan ahead Milene warns families also need to take into account other things that may end up costing more money down the line. She said: "We identify our clients' needs and make suggestions that might make life easier once they move in. "For example, if you have kids and would like them to attend an International school, where they speak primarily in English, moving to an area with a good school that has space available is highly recommended. "You don't want to base your family somewhere and land yourself with a terrible commute. "Some areas are better for families and some are more suited to young professionals. "Of course, our retired residents tend to favour the south of Spain, due to the year-round warm weather." Milene says when her clients ask for advice, she tailors it to suit their needs. She said: Some people who come to Spain from the UK want a completely different way of life. They want to embrace Spanish culture and go all-in. "Cádiz in the south is very Spanish. It's a traditional community where people leave their front door open and it's very social. "It's a place where your friends will just walk into your home, uninvited. A lot of Brits are thrown by this. "Some people want to move here for the weather and be around other British people. "That's fine, but I would recommend a different area to them, where life is a bit closer to home." With more people working from home than ever and incentives for business start-ups in countries like Spain, it's no wonder that so many of us dream of a new life on the beach. Do you imagine yourself soaking up the sun after work and spending weekends sipping €3 Cava under a palm tree? If you are considering a Mediterranean move, these are the Spanish spots you should be looking at this year: Best all-rounder - Alicante 8 The San Juan neighbourhood in Alicante is a great location for British families Credit: Getty This is a good choice for Brits wanting to start a new life in Spain. Alicante is a well-rounded city with beaches, international schools, good healthcare, and excellent public transportation. It's a popular choice for British families and has a strong expat community, which will help you settle in and feel more at home. Look at suburbs like San Juan or El Campello, since they are particularly family-friendly. Expect to pay: A three-bed house in El Campello, close to the beach: £1,000-a-month. Three bed apartments can be found for £750-a-month. Best for budget - Torrevieja 8 The coast of Torrevieja south of Alicante Credit: Getty Torrevieja is a beautiful coastal area, just south of Alicante. The rustic coastline is less populated and made up of a series of secluded coves and sandy beaches. It's less crowded than the more famous tourist areas and cheaper than many other coastal towns, since it's very small and quaint. However, expats are catching on and Torrevieja has started to build a significant British population. It offers a quieter, simpler lifestyle with essential amenities like parks, beaches, and English-speaking services, making it ideal for families looking for lower rental costs. Expect to pay: A three-bed apartment with a balcony and a partial sea view: £506-a-month. A three-bed house with gardens and shared pool: £1,000 per month. Best for families - Malaga 8 Malaga is popular with Brits moving to Spain and has great weather Credit: Getty With claims of over 300 sunny days a year, Málaga is popular with sun-seeking Brits. Compared to other European cities, it is considered very affordable and has a stretch of beautiful beaches. Málaga features several international schools, including the British School of Málaga, and Brits can enjoy very convenient flight links to the UK all year round. Away from the nightlife strip, the coastal suburbs like Pedregalejo and Rincón de la Victoria are excellent for families. Expect to pay: A three-bedroom house in Pedregalejo: £1,500-a-month. A three-bedroom apartment with sea views in Rincón de la Victoria is £1,100 a month Best for young professionals - Seville 8 Sevilla has fantastic weather and a rich history Credit: Getty A city rich in culture and charm, Seville offers a warm climate and a more relaxed pace of life. It's a good option for families seeking a more traditional Spanish experience, but Brits might be put off that there is no beach. The closest beach is inside the Donana National Park, an hour from Seville. While there are fewer international schools than in Alicante, but bilingual education options are available if you want the kids to learn Spanish too. Affordable housing with a bit more space can be found in areas like Mairena del Aljarafe, outside the city centre. Expect to pay: A semi-detached home in a serviced complex with a shared pool: £1,338 a month. A three-bed apartment in Mairena del Aljarafe: £700 euro a month. If you need help or advice on relocating to Spain or Portugal, contact
Daily Mirror
4 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Popular holiday resort issues new tourist rules which could cost Brits £1,000s
Brits will face penalty charges of up to £3,375 for tourists who flout behaviour codes in the Algarve resort of Albufeira after city hall legislators approved the strict new rules The Algarve holiday resort town of Albufeira, Portugal, has gone to war with badly-behaved Brit tourists by approving huge new fines. Penalty charges of up to €4,000 (£3,375) for holidaymakers who flout a strict new good behaviour code were agreed on Friday by local councillors. British tourists were first warned about the new get-tough rules in February when Albufeira 's mayor Jose Carlos Rolo announced the 'Code of Conduct' plans and put proposals out to public consultation. This week the process took a giant leap forward as it emerged holidaymakers can be hit with the fines once they are published in an official state bulletin, expected to happen soon. People who enter bars and other business premises with their tops off will face fines of up to €1,500 (£1,250) under the new rules, with the wearing of beachwear outside of allowed areas also being tackled. Spitting or urinating in the street will be punished with fines of between €150 (£125) and €750 (£630). And badly-behaved tourists who end up naked in public, or get caught having or simulating sex, face fines of between €2,000 (£1,685) and €4,000 (£3,375). Bars and cafes who let customers in without the proper dress code will also be hit with financial penalties under the new rules. Mayor Mr Rolo last night signalled his intent to try to take Albufeira upmarket and win back some of the families said to have been scared off by the reports of alcohol and drug-fuelled behaviour. He told local press "tourists who fall down drunk aren't needed here at all" as he said he was seeking a three-pronged approach of 'dissuasive measures', marketing and meetings with British diplomats. He also called on the central government to draft in more police. The mayor said: 'We want security to be visible. Sending 10 police officers to stay at their station isn't going to solve the problem.' Only one of the 25 Albufeira councillors who voted opposed the new Code of Conduct, with critic Leonardo Paco claiming everything in it was already covered by national legislation. Other dissenters have cast doubt on the idea that police will end up going into bars and cafes to check whether tourists have their tops on. Last summer a group of partying British tourists put on a shocking display of public nudity which led to locals questioning the type of visitor the town attracted. Footage of their drunken antics, showing them naked on their knees in a line on top of a bar counter, went viral as Mr Rolo called the display 'deeply negative' and said he would call for police reinforcements. Eight British holidaymakers were later identified by cops. The GNR police force is understood to have discovered who they were following an investigation. The jaw-dropping scenes happened at Route Caffe 66 on the Oura Strip, Albufeira's equivalent of the infamous Punta Ballena party strip in Magaluf. One of the revellers was seen slapping the bare backside of a pal who was part of the bizarre party train. It is not immediately clear what if any action has been taken against them following an investigation.
Edinburgh Live
5 hours ago
- Edinburgh Live
British holidaymakers vow to 'never return' to Spain after 'bullying' by protesters
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Millions of UK holidaymakers could be rethinking their Spanish getaways amid growing concerns over overtourism. Despite a 10% year-on-year surge in foreign tourist arrivals in April, reaching 8.6 million visitors, and a 7% increase so far this year, with a total of 26 million, the protests have led some Brits to reconsider their summer jaunts, as reported by Birmingham Live. Brits remain a significant chunk of Spain's tourism, clocking in at over 4.7 million visits, marking a 6.7% uptick. Yet, the unrest has prompted some to alter their plans, with one holidaymaker saying: "I see their point, but I don't rent a property, I use hotels. But I'm not going to stay in a hotel in Spain after this year, I'm taking my accommodation with me so they can't whinge about that." Another traveller showed empathy towards the local sentiment: "I agree with them to a certain extent. It's the people who buy up residential houses like they do here and in Cornwall and Wales so locals have nowhere to live. Holiday makers who stay in hotels are providing a living for locals and they know that." READ MORE - World's richest royals have higher net worth than Bill Gates and Elon Musk combined READ MORE - Noughties playboy who dated Katie Price and married Jodie Marsh unrecognisable now A different tourist pointed out that the real change needs to come from higher up: "Their own governments and councils like those here need to stop the buying up of residential properties by greedy developers and stop the stag and hen parties." Outcry over the treatment of holidaymakers has led to sharp remarks, with one disgruntled visitor declaring, "There is no need to target all tourists, that's just bullying and aggression encouraged by the TikTok mob.", reports Yorkshire Live. Furthermore, a vexed tourist stated: "Spent a fortune in Tenerife over the years. Not anymore." These comments come as activist groups across Spain and southern Europe ready themselves for what's being dubbed as "an unprecedented mobilisation" scheduled for June 15. The upcoming protests are expected to disrupt holiday hotspots such as the Canary Islands, including Lanzarote and Tenerife, along with Barcelona and Majorca in the Balearic Islands. Representing the Madrid tenants' union, Valeria Racu has urged for rent strikes echoing recent actions in some coastal towns in Catalonia. Racu delivered an impassioned stance, asserting: "This is the beginning of the end of the housing business," before elaborating, "The beginning of a better society, without landlordism and this parasitical system that devours our salaries and our resources." Figures released by the union reveal that there are currently 1.4 million Spanish households spending over 30% of their earnings on housing costs, a significant jump of 200,000 families from ten years ago.
