Spain locals' 'don't come' warning to tourists with situation 'really critical'
Anti-tourism protesters in Tenerife are ramping up for a significant movement this summer following a staggering increase in visitor numbers, which rose by two million last year. Residents in the Canary Islands initiated their crusade to rein in the number of tourists in 2024, with tens of thousands taking to the streets and calling for policy changes amidst fears that the beloved hotspot was "reaching its limit". Before the tourist season reached its zenith, demonstrations strategically avoided locales reliant on tourism, focusing instead on places such as Santa Cruz, Tenerife's capital city, reports the Irish Mirror. Following what many felt was a lacklustre response from island authorities, protesters adapted their strategy. By October, they began targeting major tourist hubs like Playa De Las Americas, aiming to compel a shift in regulations to limit both tourist numbers and the ownership of holiday homes. Despite widespread media coverage of the protests, there's been no slowdown in the legions of guests descending upon the Canary Islands, Dismayed protester Ivan Cerdena Molina, linked to the local environmental group ATAN, expressed his frustration about the relentless surge in tourism. "We had 16 million tourists [in the Canaries] in 2023 and 18 million in 2024," he told The Express. In 2025, the numbers are on the rise again, and Molina has pointed out that there's been a lack of substantial government action to curb the issue, only hollow promises. When asked what his message would be to potential visitors this year, Molina said: "The situation is really critical, no one who wants to enjoy holidays with peace would come to a collapsed and congested island. It's simple, there are too many people everywhere. "Local people are really tired and angry, they are showing it. If we can ask something, it would be, please don't come, we cannot take it anymore." Molina, alongside other campaigners, is gearing up for a major protest against tourism as the high season kicks off next month. ATAN, united under the slogan "the Canaries have a limit," has pledged to ramp up their actions, as per a press statement, "to make it clear that we will not stop until real change is achieved", with protests they claim will be "impossible to ignore". "From now on, we will take our fight to the very spaces where their predatory model is perpetuated," the statement read. "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. We represent the voices of those standing against sham progress at the price of widespread instability. "We are the Canarian people - a people who will not give up until we achieve the change we deserve. On May 18, the fight continues in the streets. What comes next will be impossible to ignore." Join our Dublin Live breaking news service on WhatsApp. Click this link to receive your daily dose of Dublin Live content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. For all the latest news from Dublin and surrounding areas visit our homepage.
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