Canary Islands officials beg residents to lose their ‘tourismphobia’ and warn growing

Canary Island officials have begged residents to lose their ‘tourismphobia’ as they warn that continued growth in resentment towards holidaymakers would see a significant slump in the islands’ economy.

The islands, which are a popular spot for British tourists, have become saturated with protests by residents against holidaymakers this summer.

Residents have demanded new laws to protect those that live permanently on the island, and introduce restrictions targeting tourists.

But the new tourism minister for the Canary Islands Government, Jessica de León, said residents urgently needed to change their perception about visitors to the Spanish archipelago.

She said she was concerned for the tourism industry, which has a significant impact on the islands’ local economy.

Canary Island officials have begged residents to lose their ‘tourismphobia’ as they warn that a continued growth in resentment towards holidaymakers would see a significant slump in the islands’ economy (file image of Lanzarote)

The islands, which are a popular spot for British tourists, have become saturated with protests by residents against holidaymakers this summer (file image Santa Cruz)

‘The tourismphobia that is being fuelled by some sectors in the Canary Islands is beginning to get worrying,’ de León said in a statement to local media, reported by Canarian Weekly.

‘Tourism is colliding with residents, but we must face these points of conflict and tackle them head-on, as in the case of housing’ she said.

de León said she didn’t want to see the tourism sector ‘demonised’ as it represented a significant 35 per cent of GDP on the island before the coronavirus pandemic.

Canary Weekly reported that sources within the travel industry were concerned over de León’s statement and didn’t want any travel bosses to feel attacked on behalf of their customers.

Protesters have recently taken to the streets to voice their concern over tourists, brandishing signs with slogans reading: ‘The Canaries are no longer a paradise’ and ‘The Canaries are not for sale’.

The islanders’ main concern is with sewage spills, increased traffic, and destruction of the environment – all of which they have blamed on tourists.

They want to see hotel occupancy cut and restrict the construction of new buildings intended for tourists.

A spokesperson for the protest group told Canarian Weekly: ‘Mass tourism has destroyed numerous natural spaces throughout the archipelago, and caused the degradation of many others due to the unsustainable pressure exerted by the 13 million tourists who visit the islands each year.’

They added that the ‘population suffers chronic stress due to the great tourist pressure in the area.’ 

Former president for Lanzarote’s council said earlier this year that she wasted to pivot the island’s future tourism strategy away from British holidaymakers

Steve Heapy, CEO of Jet2, is said to have sent a letter to Lanzarote president Dolores Corujo asking her to clarify her comments in March this year

It comes after the CEO of Jet2 earlier this year demanded an explanation from Lanzarote’s president over what he called ‘inflammatory and offensive’ remarks after she said the island’s tourist industry was aiming to rely less on Brits in favour of ‘higher quality holidaymakers’.

Steve Heapy sent a letter in March to Dolores Corujo, then the president of the Lanzarote Council, asking her to her to clarify her statements and whether she wants tourists from the UK to come to the Canary island.

Mr Heapy told Travel Weekly at the time: ‘As the largest UK tour operator to Lanzarote, I contacted her for clarification over her inflammatory and quite frankly offensive comments about British tourists.’

He added that he wanted to know ‘what she means and to what extent she wants to reduce British tourism.’