Latest news with #Canariastieneun
ITV News
16-05-2025
- ITV News
Anti-tourism protests descend on European holiday hotspots - where will the disruption be?
A wave of anti-tourism protests are being planned across Europe over the coming month as holidaymakers are warned of a summer of disruption. Last year saw marches across hotspots like Barcelona, Venice, and the Balearic Islands as locals fumed over the impact excessive numbers of visitors have on their homes. The campaigner's main complaint focused on the limited availability of housing for local residents, with rents soaring in many communities. This holiday season, various groups across southern Europe are promising more protests, despite several countries and local authorities in impacted regions introducing measures to limit the worst impacts of excessive tourism. Last week, Steve Heapy, chief executive of Jet2, warned British holidaymakers were becoming increasingly concerned about the issue. Speaking at an event at the Spanish embassy in London, Mr Heapy said: "We've had people ringing the call centre and going into travel agents, asking questions like 'is Spain safe', 'are we still welcome in the resort'." He blamed "unlicensed tourism" for exacerbating the issue, blaming holiday rental companies for putting pressure on local communities. When is the next protest? Across the Canary Islands, protesters will take to the streets on Sunday, with organisers expecting over 100,000 people to be involved. The main protest will take place in Santa Cruz, the capital of Tenerife. Other demonstrations are planned in the major towns on Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, and Fuerteventura, El Hierro, La Palma, and La Gomera. There will also be protests in mainland Spain, with demonstrations planned across several major cities, including Barcelona, Madrid, Granada, and Valencia. The protests on the Canary Islands are being organised by Canarias tiene un límite (The Canary Islands Have A Limit). The group's demand is a shift to a more ecological and sustainable form of tourism that can support local residents, constant construction of major hotels and villa complexes, as well as controls on businesses like Airbnb. They also fear that over-tourism is damaging the biodiversity of the Canary Islands, which is home to numerous unique ecosystems and want to see an ecological tax that will fund efforts to maintain the environment. Are there more protests planned this summer? Campaigners have promised a long summer campaign. Southern European Network Against Touristisation - a network of small protest groups that have the same goal of reducing tourism - held a major conference in Barcelona in April and confirmed it planned a unified protest across numerous countries. The network includes groups from Spain, Italy, France, and Portugal. The next major protest will take place on Sunday June 15, with demonstrations in cities across southern Europe. According to the Spanish news website, The Local, protests have been confirmed in Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Ibiza, the Canary Islands, Naples, Palermo, Venice and Lisbon. Along with large demonstrations planned in city centres, The Local also report placard protests are planned at airports and famous landmarks. How have governments responded to the protesters' demands? Numerous local and national governments have attempted to appease the protest groups with different policies, but so far, they haven't worked. They have also run up against the powerful tourist businesses that run the hotels and resorts, who don't want to see any measure placing new restrictions on their customers. Tourism makes up over 10% of Spain's economy, but in the country's areas most popular with tourists, like the Canary Islands, it makes up for almost a third of all economic activity. Last year, the town of Mogan in Gran Canaria instituted a €0.15 a day tourism tax, but backlash from the tourism industry led to a judge suspending it a day after it was introduced. It has since been reinstated. Tourism taxes have also been implemented in many hotspots like Barcelona and Venice, with one planned to be introduced in Tenerife next year. In Barcelona, the local government has also taken more action by banning the construction of new hotels and plans to outlaw Airbnb after 2028. The Spanish government also recently introduced a law that made it a requirement for property owners to get consent from the local community if they wish to rent out their property to tourists.
The Irish Sun
16-05-2025
- The Irish Sun
Urgent warning for Irish tourists in Spain as exact date & time furious locals will take to streets for protest revealed
IRISH people heading to the sun-soaked Canary Islands this weekend are in for a shock as furious locals plot mass protests. Holiday hotspots like 6 A huge protest in Santa Cruz in Tenerife last year Credit: EPA/ALBERTO VALDES 6 A protester holds a sign reading 'Canary Islands have a limit' as thousands marched on Las Americas beach during a demonstration against mass tourism last year Credit: Getty Images 6 Locals have told how overtourism has reduced their quality of life Credit: Getty Images Activists have vowed to Canarias tiene un límite, meaning The Canaries Have a Limit, declared: "From now on, we will take our fight to the very spaces where their predatory model is perpetuated. "We will boycott public events, confront political leaders during their appearances and occupy symbolic tourist spaces to make it clear that we will not stop until real change is achieved." Overcrowding has become the main problem in READ MORE IN TRAVEL But locals have also said overtourism has reduced their quality of life, increased the cost of living and brought in cheap, "low-quality" tourists who do not contribute to the local economy. Hostile messages against foreigners and tourists written on public walls have been on the rise - sparking fears that anti-tourist movements And, after tourists were targeted with water guns and shouted at by protestors in demonstrations earlier this year, some holidaymakers are worried they could be targeted if they get caught up in a protest. Despite the chaos, unions have urged tourists not to cancel their holidays. Most read in News Travel They have insisted that the anger is aimed at the system, not sunseekers - but protests are set to escalate fast. Thousands of anti-tourist protesters flood Spanish hols hotspots & call on mob to super glue holiday rental locks Canarias tiene un límite said: "This cry, which reflects the feelings of a people tired of being ignored and mistreated, will be the beginning of a new stage of struggle: firmer, more direct, more uncomfortable for those who refuse to listen to us and take real measures." The PROTEST LOCATIONS AND TIMES THE protests on Sunday are planned to take place across 15 areas throughout the Canary Islands. Tourists have been urged to stay away from the demonstrations. The primary protest locations and times for May 18 are: Tenerife – Plaza Weyler, Santa Cruz, 11am Gran Canaria – Auditorio Alfredo Kraus, Las Palmas, 11am Lanzarote – Quiosco de la Música, Arrecife, 11am Fuerteventura – Plaza de la Iglesia, Puerto del Rosario, 11am El Hierro – Consejería de Turismo, Valverde, 11am La Palma – Plaza de La Alameda, Santa Cruz de La Palma, 11am La Gomera – Plaza de Las Américas, San Sebastián, 11:00am Alfonso Cabello, spokesperson for the regional government, said: 'We're doing this the Canary Islands way — extending a hand and listening to everyone.' The new legal framework, which will set tougher planning and building standards, tighten rules on holiday rentals and introduce laws on campsites and outdoor tourism, is expected to roll out over the coming months. Protests have also been scheduled across other areas of Spain rising up against mass tourism. Locals on Spain's mainlands and island will take to streets on June 15 for huge demonstrations that thousands are expected to attend. MORE PROTESTS IN SUMMER The cities It is understood that some - potentially causing flight chaos - and blockade buses carrying tourists. Ireland's Department of Foreign Affairs has previously warned Irish sunseekers that public gatherings and demonstrations in Spain can at times take place with "little or no warning". A spokesperson said: "We recommend that you stay clear of demonstrations and follow the advice of the local authorities. "Protests may cause disruption to transport and other services. Be prepared to adjust your travel plans at short notice if necessary, and allow yourself extra time for your journey. "You should also check for travel updates or transport delays before and during your trip to Spain." 6 A man with the Canary Island flag painted on his face protests during a march against tourism Credit: AP Photo/Miguel Velasco Almendral 6 A protester holds a placard reading 'Invasion does not come in 'patera', it comes by plane' Credit: Getty Images 6 Protestors gathered in Gran Canaria last year
Scottish Sun
25-04-2025
- Scottish Sun
Travel warning for thousands of Brits facing misery across European holiday hotspots this summer
Scroll down for the reason why HOL NO Travel warning for thousands of Brits facing misery across European holiday hotspots this summer Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) FAMILIES from the UK visiting four particular countries have been warned to expect anti-tourism protests upon arrival. Fed up locals from European hotspots have refused to rule out targeting airports to deter holidaymakers. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 An anti-tourism protests in Barcelona, Spain Credit: getty 3 Riot police manage the crowds in Barcelona Credit: getty 3 A poster in Palma de Mallorca, Spain reads 'It's time to stop' Credit: REUTERS/Stringer Spain, Italy, France and Portugal are among the reported places where anti-tourism protests are taking place. Locals pledge mass tourism has fuelled soaring rents and a lack of affordable homes. As a result, accommodation is snapped up for tourist lets and land bought for building resorts. The alert comes as millions of us are planning sunshine getaways. At a summit in Barcelona, protestor Elena Boschi yesterday told the Mirror: 'We want tourists to have some level of fear about the situation – without fear there is no change.' The English language teacher, 46, a campaigner from Genoa, on the Italian riviera, continued: 'Our cities and regions are not for sale and there is an urgent need to limit the growth of tourism, demand a change of course and decide on a path to tourism de-growth as a way out.' It comes as locals from the Canary Islands plotted mass protests, meanwhile the government ripped up its tourism rulebook. Holiday hotspots like Tenerife are also bracing for a summer of unrest as residents rise up against what they claim is a 'predatory model' of tourism that's pushed locals to the brink. Activists have vowed to storm popular tourist attractions, disrupt public events and 'confront political leaders' in a fiery new phase of protests kicking off May 18 — right as peak holiday season begins. 'From now on, we will take our fight to the very spaces where their predatory model is perpetuated,' declared pressure group Canarias tiene un límite (The Canaries Have a Limit). UK beach named one of the top 100 in the world 'We will boycott public events, confront political leaders during their appearances and occupy symbolic tourist spaces to make it clear that we will not stop until real change is achieved.' The movement — now spreading beyond Tenerife — insists it's no longer business as usual for tourism in the region. 'The Canary Islands can no longer be a postcard backdrop for the enjoyment of a privileged few,' the statement read.
The Irish Sun
25-04-2025
- The Irish Sun
Travel warning for thousands of Brits facing misery across European holiday hotspots this summer
FAMILIES from the UK visiting four particular countries have been warned to expect anti-tourism protests upon arrival. Fed up locals from European hotspots have refused to rule out targeting airports to deter holidaymakers. Advertisement 1 An anti-tourism protests in Barcelona, Spain Credit: getty Spain, Italy, France and Portugal are among the reported places where anti-tourism protests are taking place. Locals pledge mass tourism has fuelled soaring rents and a lack of affordable homes. As a result, accommodation is snapped up for tourist lets and land bought for building resorts. It comes as locals from the Advertisement Holiday hotspots like Tenerife are also bracing for a summer of unrest as residents rise up against what they claim is a 'predatory model' of tourism that's pushed locals to the brink. Activists have vowed to storm popular tourist attractions, disrupt public events and 'confront political leaders' in a fiery new phase of protests kicking off May 18 — right as peak holiday season begins. 'From now on, we will take our fight to the very spaces where their predatory model is perpetuated,' declared pressure group Canarias tiene un límite (The Canaries Have a Limit). 'We will boycott public events, confront political leaders during their appearances and occupy symbolic tourist spaces to make it clear that we will not stop until real change is achieved.' Advertisement Most read in The Sun Breaking Exclusive The movement — now spreading beyond Tenerife — insists it's no longer business as usual for tourism in the region. 'The can no longer be a postcard backdrop for the enjoyment of a privileged few,' the statement read.
