UK Tourists Demand Tenerife Be Placed on 'No Fly List' as Protests Return
Anti-tourism protests have reignited in Tenerife, sparking outrage among UK holidaymakers who are now calling for the Canary Island to be placed on a 'no fly list'. The unrest comes just weeks before the Easter holidays, a peak travel period for British tourists visiting the European Union hotspot.
Escalating Tensions and Property Damage
Tenerife, neighboured by Lanzarote, has been plagued by anti-tourism demonstrations in recent years. The latest incidents in March have seen rental vehicles targeted, with tyres slashed in acts that police are investigating as potentially linked to protests against mass tourism.
These overtourism protests typically draw thousands of participants, who display placards with slogans like 'tourists go home'. Graffiti messages urging Britons to stop visiting have also appeared across parts of the island.
Violent Incidents and Activist Warnings
In a separate incident last year, a group was filmed smashing windows and setting fire to rental cars belonging to Cicar, a Canary Islands-based car rental company, in southern Tenerife. A video posted online by activists warned holidaymakers about local exhaustion with mass tourism, overpopulation, and the perceived lack of wealth redistribution from tourism revenues.
The video caption stated: 'We have received this video from Canary Islands activists, exhausted by mass tourism, overpopulation in their neighbourhoods, and the complete lack of redistribution of the so-called wealth generated by tourism.'
UK Tourist Backlash and Boycott Calls
In response to the renewed protests, UK tourists have taken to social media to express their frustration. One Brit suggested: 'Time to put them on the no fly list, there are thousands of other destinations that will be grateful for the £millions that tourists spend.'
Another agreed, writing: 'That’s okay us Brits can always go somewhere else, but Tenerife has nothing but tourism absolutely nothing and it will be nothing without tourism. And once we’re gone we will not be returning.'
Further comments included:
- 'I wouldn't go to Spain anyway, they treat their animals appallingly. I applaud anybody that boycotts the country.'
- 'Take your money somewhere else. There's much nicer places to go than Tenerife. The protests won't change a thing either, and in the end they will all be poorer for it.'
- 'Hope they all enjoy a lovely, long, quiet summer. They’ll have lots of time to enjoy their handiwork I should think.'
Criticism of Local Leadership
Some tourists expressed sympathy for local residents while criticising authorities. One commented: 'Cancelled last year's trips and again not going this year. It's sad because the people deserve better but blaming holiday makers for the poor leadership of the local councils and even the government to look at and provide adequate housing for the people is wrong.'
They added: 'The local authorities should know what the supply and demand is for the people who work in tourism trade and should ensure that enough money is being taken at source from those benefitting from huge profits. I love the Spanish people and their country and culture and I truly hope they get some satisfaction and the necessary support from their own people.'
The resurgence of protests highlights the ongoing tension between tourism-dependent economies and local communities feeling the strain of overtourism, with UK tourists now threatening to take their spending elsewhere.
