Thousands protest in Canary Islands over 'unsustainable' mass tourism

Protestors are calling for a freeze on tourists, arguing that the current model has made life unaffordable and environmentally unsustainable for residents.

Thousands of people protested in Tenerife on Saturday calling for the Spanish island to temporarily limit tourist arrivals.

Holding placards reading “People live here” and “We don’t want to see our island die”, they’re urging for a stem to short-term holiday rentals and hotel construction which are driving up housing costs for locals.

The protesters are being backed by environmental groups including Greenpeace, WWF, Ecologists in Action, Friends of the Earth and SEO/Birdlife.

youngGoku,

Yeah any desirable habitat for humans will continue to be gentrified and destroyed.

SuddenDownpour,

These kinds of small islands with exotic climate and difficulty to access infraestructure are under extra risk of gentrification. There’s a recurring joke in Spain that Germans have conquered Majorca without shooting a single bullet - meanwhile locals born on the island have to emigrate.

bdonvr,

Good on em, tourism can destroy a place if done incorrectly

Nacktmull,
@Nacktmull@lemmy.world avatar

True and on top of that the Canary Islands have a severe problem with lack of natural sweet water supply, which is significantly intensified by mass tourism.

Retrogrademer,

Those guys wouldn’t even be able to eat if it wasn’t because of tourists lol

bdonvr,

I mean they’ve become dependent on that money possibly, but that doesn’t mean it’s the only way to. And while they’re asking for restrictions to or even a pause to Tourism, they’re not saying it should be banned. Just that they need to do it in a way that doesn’t price out locals and destroy the culture.

SuddenDownpour,

Ironically enough, mass tourism makes them unable to pay rent, up until they have to leave.

  • All
  • Subscribed
  • Moderated
  • Favorites
  • •
  • world@lemmy.world
  • fightinggames
  • All magazines
    •