Latest news with #JuanFranciscoGalindo
The Herald Scotland
21-05-2025
- The Herald Scotland
'Tourist go home': Canary Islands, Spain protests draw thousands
"Tourism is very important for the Canary Islands, but we have to realize that the collapse is total," Juan Francisco Galindo, a hotel manager in Tenerife, told Reuters. His father owns a small island property on which the local administration issued an expropriation order in 2023 due to the approval of a luxury hotel complex project. "Those 70 square metres (750 square feet) that they want to expropriate are all my father has. His health situation has deteriorated since this happened," he said. More than 1 million foreign tourists visit the Canary Islands each month, compared to a local population of 2.2 million, according to official data. New rules, bigger crowds: How to survive your 2025 European vacation Spain, which had a record number of tourist arrivals in 2024, expects even more visitors this year. Galindo said the number of hotel beds had tripled since the 1970s when the islands' infrastructure was built, leading to sky-rocketing housing costs, traffic jams and limited access to health services during peak tourism season Spain has witnessed several protests against overtourism in other popular holiday destinations, including Mallorca, Barcelona and Malaga. Similar demonstrations were held in the Canaries last year. Sirlene Alonso, a lawyer who lives in Gran Canaria, criticised the regional government's plans to build more housing instead of limiting tourist numbers. "The goal is not tourism quality, but that more and more tourists come. The number of tourists and people who come to live here is crushing us," she said. Canary Island officials travelled this week to Brussels to seek European Union funds for affordable housing in the region's outermost areas.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Yahoo
Bracing for summer crowds, thousands protest overtourism in Spain's popular Canary Islands
GRAN CANARIA, Spain – Thousands of people protested against mass tourism in Spain's Canary Islands on Sunday, urging authorities to limit the number of visitors to protect local residents from soaring housing costs, traffic congestion and overburdened services. Marching under the banner "Canaries have a limit," demonstrators took to the streets in all of the archipelago's main islands and in several cities in mainland Spain. Some chanted about the effects of tourism on water supplies. "Tourism is very important for the Canary Islands, but we have to realize that the collapse is total," Juan Francisco Galindo, a hotel manager in Tenerife, told Reuters. His father owns a small island property on which the local administration issued an expropriation order in 2023 due to the approval of a luxury hotel complex project. "Those 70 square metres (750 square feet) that they want to expropriate are all my father has. His health situation has deteriorated since this happened," he said. More than 1 million foreign tourists visit the Canary Islands each month, compared to a local population of 2.2 million, according to official data. New rules, bigger crowds: How to survive your 2025 European vacation Spain, which had a record number of tourist arrivals in 2024, expects even more visitors this year. Galindo said the number of hotel beds had tripled since the 1970s when the islands' infrastructure was built, leading to sky-rocketing housing costs, traffic jams and limited access to health services during peak tourism season Spain has witnessed several protests against overtourism in other popular holiday destinations, including Mallorca, Barcelona and Malaga. Similar demonstrations were held in the Canaries last year. Sirlene Alonso, a lawyer who lives in Gran Canaria, criticised the regional government's plans to build more housing instead of limiting tourist numbers. "The goal is not tourism quality, but that more and more tourists come. The number of tourists and people who come to live here is crushing us," she said. Canary Island officials travelled this week to Brussels to seek European Union funds for affordable housing in the region's outermost areas. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Tourist go home': Canary Islands, Spain protests draw thousands
USA Today
19-05-2025
- USA Today
Bracing for summer crowds, thousands protest overtourism in Spain's popular Canary Islands
Bracing for summer crowds, thousands protest overtourism in Spain's popular Canary Islands GRAN CANARIA, Spain – Thousands of people protested against mass tourism in Spain's Canary Islands on Sunday, urging authorities to limit the number of visitors to protect local residents from soaring housing costs, traffic congestion and overburdened services. Marching under the banner "Canaries have a limit," demonstrators took to the streets in all of the archipelago's main islands and in several cities in mainland Spain. Some chanted about the effects of tourism on water supplies. "Tourism is very important for the Canary Islands, but we have to realize that the collapse is total," Juan Francisco Galindo, a hotel manager in Tenerife, told Reuters. His father owns a small island property on which the local administration issued an expropriation order in 2023 due to the approval of a luxury hotel complex project. "Those 70 square metres (750 square feet) that they want to expropriate are all my father has. His health situation has deteriorated since this happened," he said. More than 1 million foreign tourists visit the Canary Islands each month, compared to a local population of 2.2 million, according to official data. New rules, bigger crowds: How to survive your 2025 European vacation Spain, which had a record number of tourist arrivals in 2024, expects even more visitors this year. Galindo said the number of hotel beds had tripled since the 1970s when the islands' infrastructure was built, leading to sky-rocketing housing costs, traffic jams and limited access to health services during peak tourism season Spain has witnessed several protests against overtourism in other popular holiday destinations, including Mallorca, Barcelona and Malaga. Similar demonstrations were held in the Canaries last year. Sirlene Alonso, a lawyer who lives in Gran Canaria, criticised the regional government's plans to build more housing instead of limiting tourist numbers. "The goal is not tourism quality, but that more and more tourists come. The number of tourists and people who come to live here is crushing us," she said. Canary Island officials travelled this week to Brussels to seek European Union funds for affordable housing in the region's outermost areas.
The Independent
19-05-2025
- The Independent
Thousands protest mass tourism in European holiday hotspots
Thousands of local residents in Spain's Canary Islands have protested against mass tourism on Sunday, demanding action from authorities to curb visitor numbers and protect residents from soaring housing costs, traffic congestion and overburdened services. Marching under the banner "Canaries have a limit", demonstrators took to the streets across the archipelago's main islands and even spread to several mainland Spanish cities. Some protesters also voiced anxieties about the strain on local water resources due to the influx of tourists. "Tourism is very important for the Canary Islands, but we have to realise that the collapse is total," said Juan Francisco Galindo, a hotel manager in Tenerife. His father owns a small island property on which the local administration issued an expropriation order in 2023 due to the approval of a luxury hotel complex project. "Those 70 square metres (750 square feet) that they want to expropriate are all my father has. His health situation has deteriorated since this happened," he said. More than 1 million foreign tourists visit the Canary Islands each month, compared to a local population of 2.2 million, according to official data. Spain, which had a record number of tourist arrivals in 2024, expects even more visitors this year. Galindo said the number of hotel beds had tripled since the 1970s when the islands' infrastructure was built, leading to skyrocketing housing costs, traffic jams and limited access to health services during peak tourism season. Spain has witnessed several protests against overtourism in other popular holiday destinations, including Mallorca, Barcelona and Malaga. Similar demonstrations were held in the Canaries last year. Sirlene Alonso, a lawyer who lives in Gran Canaria, criticised the regional government's plans to build more housing instead of limiting tourist numbers. "The goal is not tourism quality, but that more and more tourists come. The number of tourists and people who come to live here is crushing us," she said.
Asharq Al-Awsat
18-05-2025
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Thousands protest against Overtourism in Spain's Canary Islands
Thousands of people protested against mass tourism in Spain's Canary Islands on Sunday, urging authorities to limit the number of visitors to protect local residents from soaring housing costs, traffic congestion and overburdened services. Marching under the banner "Canaries have a limit", demonstrators took to the streets in all of the archipelago's main islands and in several cities in mainland Spain. Some chanted about the effects of tourism on water supplies. "Tourism is very important for the Canary Islands, but we have to realize that the collapse is total," Juan Francisco Galindo, a hotel manager in Tenerife, told Reuters. His father owns a small island property on which the local administration issued an expropriation order in 2023 due to the approval of a luxury hotel complex project. "Those 70 square meters (750 square feet) that they want to expropriate are all my father has. His health situation has deteriorated since this happened," he said. More than 1 million foreign tourists visit the Canary Islands each month, compared to a local population of 2.2 million, according to official data. Spain, which had a record number of tourist arrivals in 2024, expects even more visitors this year. Galindo said the number of hotel beds had tripled since the 1970s when the islands' infrastructure was built, leading to sky-rocketing housing costs, traffic jams and limited access to health services during peak tourism season. Spain has witnessed several protests against overtourism in other popular holiday destinations, including Mallorca, Barcelona and Malaga. Similar demonstrations were held in the Canaries last year. Sirlene Alonso, a lawyer who lives in Gran Canaria, criticized the regional government's plans to build more housing instead of limiting tourist numbers. "The goal is not tourism quality, but that more and more tourists come. The number of tourists and people who come to live here is crushing us," she said. Canary Island officials travelled this week to Brussels to seek European Union funds for affordable housing in the region's outermost areas.
