The Canaries’ tourism minister has added her voice to the growing concerns at anti-tourism campaigns in the islands. Speaking at a parliamentary committee on Thursday, Jessica de León said the Canaries need to be acutely aware of the impact of the protest movements on the holiday industry, which is the mainstay of the region’s economy, contributing over 21 billion euros (37%) to its GDP.
The warning comes on the heels of similar concerns expressed by Canarian MP David Morales, who voiced fears that the near-permanent presence of news of the protests, which are reflected widely in the UK and German media, may be playing into the hands of Morocco. “News of conflict and other issues is picked up quickly by tour operators, prompting them to seek alternatives” said Morales, who recalled how Morocco’s tourism numbers now rival the 18 million annual visitors received by the Canaries at present.
The minister expressed concern that, having worked hard to raise the quality of the sector here in recent years, the Canaries would have a hard job competing with Morocco on prices to if the islands needed to attract holidaymakers deterred by the anti-tourism movements that have hit international headlines of late.
The warnings come as the “Canarias Tiene Un Límite” platform announced further mobilisations against mass tourism for 18 May to pressure the regional government and governing bodies of the respective islands into taking concrete steps to curb visitor numbers and, in particular, restrict the use of properties for short-term holiday lets due to the impact the lets have on housing for locals, who are being priced out of the market. The announcement of the protest has promoted widespread coverage, including one UK tabloid headline on 22 April describing “Canary Islands chaos as British tourists urged ‘don’t come – Tenerife is collapsing’.
De León and others in the Canarian government have repeatedly stressed the efforts made by the authorities to ensure the Canaries are a safe destination for holidaymakers, which is not necessarily true of certain competitor destinations, and that the tourism industry shows due respect for the environment – again not necessarily an uppermost consideration for rivals.
Photo: RTVE
