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Scottish Sun
3 days ago
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Brits face holiday hotspot hell as bar staff in Tenerife send ultimatum to bosses or vow they will strike in peak season
BRITS chasing the sun this summer could face fresh holiday hell as bar staff prepare to strike during peak season. It comes after 80,000 employees took to the streets in Tenerife earlier in the year demanding better pay and working conditions. 6 Bar staff have threatened a mass walk out if their pay demands are not met Credit: Louis Wood 6 Thousands of locals flooded the streets to protest mass tourism Credit: Getty 6 Locals called on tighter restrictions Credit: AFP In a move that could spark chaos for Brits travelling to Tenerife this summer, union bosses said industrial action could start as early as July. The unions, Sindicalistas de Base and UGT, have issued bosses with an ultimatum, warning of a major walk out if they are not granted a 6.5 per cent salary bump. They have made it clear that no further negotiations will happen if these conditions are not met. This isn't the first time Tenerife has been at the centre of sweeping industrial action. Last month, cleaners and restaurant workers in the sunny hotspot took to the streets after deeming an offer from their employer not acceptable. The tourism employers' association, formed by Ashotel and AERO, had offered a four per cent increase in pay for workers, hoping it would prevent them from protesting during the Easter holidays. But unions wanted 6.25 per cent. They said their decision was unanimous and would not change plans to strike against tourists. With over 170,000 tourism workers in the Canary Islands set to protest, business owners about to welcome thousands of tourists were despairing. They planned to demonstrate in all the tourist hotspots, including Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Lanzarote. Inside Tenerife's ongoing war between tourists and locals By law, strikers have to provide a "minimum service" but the unions said hotel cleaning, food and entertainment don't fall into this category. They said they must try and preserve the health of hotel workers and provide them with the very best of working conditions. Elsewhere, locals flooded the streets to protest against mass tourism in the area. Activists 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.' 'The Canary Islands can no longer be a postcard backdrop for the enjoyment of a privileged few,' the statement read. In a separate warning, the group 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 backlash follows a 170,000-strong hotel and restaurant workers' strike across the islands just days ago, with locals slamming low wages and poor working conditions in the booming holiday industry. In June last year, beach workers also walked off the job over what unions called "precarious" conditions. As tensions boil over, the Canary Islands Government has now announced plans to completely overhaul its outdated 30-year-old tourism laws in a landmark reform effort. Alfonso Cabello, spokesperson for the regional government, said: 'We're doing this the Canary Islands way — extending a hand and listening to everyone.' The sweeping reforms aim to tackle everything from sky-high housing costs in tourist areas to crumbling infrastructure and overworked public services. 6 Thousands of people took to the streets Credit: Getty 6 Activists vowed to storm popular tourist attractions Credit: Getty
The Irish Sun
3 days ago
- Business
- The Irish Sun
Brits face holiday hotspot hell as bar staff in Tenerife send ultimatum to bosses or vow they will strike in peak season
BRITS chasing the sun this summer could face fresh holiday hell as bar staff prepare to strike during peak season. It comes after 80,000 employees Advertisement 6 Bar staff have threatened a mass walk out if their pay demands are not met Credit: Louis Wood 6 Thousands of locals flooded the streets to protest mass tourism Credit: Getty 6 Locals called on tighter restrictions Credit: AFP In a move that could spark chaos for Brits travelling to Tenerife this summer, union bosses said industrial action could start as early as July. The unions, Sindicalistas de Base and UGT, have issued bosses with an ultimatum, warning of a major walk out if they are not granted a 6.5 per cent salary bump. They have made it clear that no further negotiations will happen if these conditions are not met. This isn't the first time Tenerife has been at the centre of sweeping industrial action. Advertisement Read more on World Last month, cleaners and restaurant workers in the The tourism employers' association, formed by Ashotel and AERO, had offered a four per cent increase in pay for workers, hoping it would prevent them from protesting during the Easter holidays. But unions wanted 6.25 per cent. They said their decision was unanimous and would not change plans to Advertisement Most read in The Sun Breaking With over 170,000 tourism workers in the They planned to demonstrate in all the tourist hotspots, including Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Lanzarote. Inside Tenerife's ongoing war between tourists and locals By law , strikers have to provide a "minimum service" but the unions said hotel cleaning, food and entertainment don't fall into this category. They said they must try and preserve the health of hotel workers and provide them with the very best of working conditions. Advertisement Elsewhere, locals flooded the streets to protest against mass tourism in the area. Activists 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 'The In a separate warning, the group 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 backlash follows In June last year, beach workers also walked off the job over what unions called "precarious" conditions. Advertisement As tensions boil over, the Alfonso Cabello, spokesperson for the regional government, said: 'We're doing this the Canary Islands way — extending a hand and listening to everyone.' The sweeping reforms aim to tackle everything from sky-high housing costs in tourist areas to crumbling infrastructure and overworked public services. 6 Thousands of people took to the streets Credit: Getty Advertisement 6 Activists vowed to storm popular tourist attractions Credit: Getty 6 Protests erupted at the peak of tourist season Credit: Getty
Daily Mirror
08-05-2025
- Daily Mirror
Brits flood Canary Islands as all-time record smashed and key message ignored
Despite growing hostilities and rampant anti-tourist sentiment, it seems swathes of Brits cannot be deterred when it comes to sunning it up in the insatiably popular Canary Islands An influx of tourists has broken records in the insatiably popular Canary Islands - despite stark warnings from locals. New data published by Spain's National Institute of Statistics (Instituto Nacional de Estadistica) found the archipelago was Spain's main destination for holidaymakers in March. Lured in by the boozy strips of Tenerife, Lanzarote's volcanic vineyards, or Gran Canaria and its vast sand dunes, holidays to the Canaries accounted for almost a quarter (23.6 per cent) of the country's total visitor makeup. A staggering 1.56 million tourists flocked to the group of islands, marking a 0.9 per cent increase compared to the same year before. In the first three months of 2025, the Canary Islands witnessed a 2.1 per cent increase compared to the same period in 2024. While this has bolstered spending figures in the area (with foreign tourists pumping a whopping €2.43 billion (around £2.06 billion) into the economy) not everybody will be happy with the revelation. The new figures come amid rising anti-tourist sentiment and growing hostility - with demonstrators arguing the insufferably busy islands have reached a ' critical tipping point '. Concerned that soaring demand for holiday homes and short-term rentals will price them out of the property market, calls against over-tourism have become intrinsically linked to Spain's housing crisis. Locals have also flagged concerns over rowdy tourists damaging national parks, clogging up traffic, and treating their homeland like a 'theme park'. All of this spearheaded the slew of protests that erupted across the country last year - with thousands of frustrated residents flocking to the streets, armed with banners demanding Brits 'go home'. Want the latest travel news and cheapest holiday deals sent straight to your inbox? Sign up to our Travel Newsletter More recently, anti-tourist rhetoric appears to have taken a violent turn. Back in March, a horrifying sign threatening to 'Kill A Tourist' was spotted in Tenerife, while reports also emerged that anonymous activists had set fire to rental cars on the island to make their message clear. More protests across the archipelago have been planned for this month, with more than a dozen groups pledging to take part under the umbrella protest platform 'Canarias Tiene Un Limite' (The Canaries Have a Limit). As previously reported, a spokesperson said: "Today, our dependence on tourism is greater than ever, housing is more inaccessible than ever, the levels of poverty and social exclusion keep rising, we're losing our unique natural heritage in the world at an alarming rate and macro-projects serving foreign speculation continue unabated. "We're still lacking a true change of model that guarantees a decent future for the people who live on these islands. That's why we're announcing that, in the month of May, we will take to the streets of Tenerife again and we call on the other seven islands to join us again in this shared mission". Spanish activists have also promised to unleash misery on Brits this summer, with Menys Turisme Més Vida (Less Tourism, More Life) - who have been at the forefront of Spain's anti-tourist wave - vowing to 'intensify' efforts over the peak months. This could explain Tenerife's sudden slump in hotel booking over the summer season.
Irish Daily Star
27-04-2025
- Irish Daily Star
Popular vacation destination on brink of huge tourism change as new laws considered
Major changes could be in store for the Canary Islands as the local government kicks off a public consultation on its tourism rules. The widespread consultation, announced this Monday, aims to update laws from 1995 and 2013 in response to growing anger among locals in tourist hotspots like Tenerife, Lanzarote, and Gran Canaria over overtourism, with Mallorca even considering a ban. Local media outlets report that the objective is to tailor the laws to the current challenges and realities facing the Canary Islands. This initiative comes ahead of anti-mass tourism protests planned across the islands on May 18, reports Dublin Live . The collective Canarias Tiene Un Limite (The Canaries Have a Limit), made up of various organizations, is organizing the protests and has voiced frustration at governments and institutions ignoring residents' calls to control visitor numbers. Read More Related Articles Everything to know about TSA facial recognition and whether you should opt in Read More Related Articles What time is Pope Francis' funeral and how to watch - full ceremony schedule released by Vatican According to the Canarian Weekly, one of the main goals of the new legislation is to address the housing shortage in popular tourist areas, with a focus on protecting locals' access to long-term accommodation. Spain is a hugely popular tourism destination for Irish people (Image: ITV) Activists have underscored the housing situation and rental prices as primary concerns. The Canarian Weekly also notes that the legislation will, among other things, define the status of areas particularly popular with tourists to inform infrastructure and public service decisions. Canary Islands Tourism and Employment Minister Jessica de Leon emphasized the region's commitment to change, saying: "This process is about reconnecting regulation with the people and professionals of the islands - making tourism more equitable, sustainable, and resilient." In 2024, a colossal almost 18 million holidaymakers flocked to the Canary Islands, with a sizeable 6.3 million from Britain alone. Known for its eternal sun, mesmerising beaches, and adventure on the sea, the archipelago boasting treasures like Tenerife, Lanzarote, and Gran Canaria continues to charm globetrotters. With public unrest simmering last year over mass tourism's toll on Europe, The Canaries Have a Limit group intends to take their discontents public next month, stating: "The Canary Islands can no longer be a postcard backdrop for the enjoyment of a privileged few. For all the latest news straight to your inbox, sign up for our FREE newsletters here . "We are the voice of those who reject false progress at the cost of widespread precarity." Moreover, they declared: "We are the Canarian people - a people who will not give up until we achieve the change we deserve. "On May 18th, the fight continues in the streets. What comes next will be impossible to ignore." Earlier this month, the buzz was that Canary Islands leaders were scheming to seek EU support to limit both non-resident and foreign investment in island property affairs. For the latest local news and features on Irish America, visit our homepage here .
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.
