Resistance on the Canary Islands

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The inhabitants of the islands want to stop the "Canary Islands sell-out".(Bild: ASSOCIATED PRESS)

The inhabitants of the Canary Islands are apparently fed up with the influx of tourists. On Saturday, there was a large demonstration on the streets of the major cities. Tens of thousands of Spaniards vented their anger with chants and whistles.

Banners bore slogans such as "The Canary Islands are not for sale", "Tourism moratorium" and "Respect my homeland". The organizers of the protests criticize that tourism on the Canary Islands in its current form is harmful to the islanders and the environment. They are therefore demanding that the authorities limit the number of tourists.

"We are not against tourism," said protester Rosario Correo to the public television station TVE. "We are just demanding that they change the current model, which allows unlimited growth in tourism." Demonstrator Alfonso Boullon agreed with her: "The government and regional leaders of the islands must end this corrupt model of never-ending growth, which is based on the destruction of the environment and only weakens the economy."

The inhabitants of the islands want to stop the "Canary Islands sell-out".(Bild: ASSOCIATED PRESS)

The inhabitants of the islands want to stop the "Canary Islands sell-out".(Bild: ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Hunger strike against mass tourism
Specifically, the demonstrators demanded a halt to the construction of two new hotels on Tenerife, the largest and most touristically developed of the seven Canary Islands. They also demanded a greater say in decisions on the further development of tourism. Solidarity rallies were held on the Spanish mainland. Last week, several activists from the "Canary Islands sell-out" protest movement even went on hunger strike against mass tourism.

Important economic sector
Around 2.2 million people live on the islands off the coast of North Africa with their sunny beaches and volcanic landscapes. Last year, 16 million tourists visited the Canary Islands. Every fourth inhabitant of the archipelago works in tourism and the industry accounts for 36 percent of gross domestic product (GDP).