Overtourism off the Mediterranean
Overtourism, or too many people in one place at a given time, usually occurs in the most popular destinations and will only continue to increase as the world’s population grows. Unfortunately, with overtourism comes a host of negative consequences, including financial, social, and environmental problems which seem inevitable with a large influx to a place not intended to hold so many people.
European countries, specifically Spain, Italy, France, and Greece on the Mediterranean coast, are seen as ideal travel destinations from other European countries, such as the United Kingdom and Germany, and by countries outside Europe. Particularly, tourists have begun flocking to the Spanish Canary Islands rather than the more popular Mallorca, with 13.9 million tourists visiting the Canary Islands in 2023, up 13% from 2022.
The Canary Islands, off the coast of Morocco, are composed of seven sunny volcanic islands. The resident population of the Canaries is only 2.2 million, with tourism making up 35% of the GDP of the archipelago and four out of ten residents working in the tourism industry. Tourism is massive in Spain, composing 12.8% of the economy, with many other cities, including Barcelona and Madrid, serving as hubs for travelers.
Tensions in the Canary Islands erupted this past week as residents protested the influx of tourists. Tens of thousands rallied against mass tourism, wanting limits on the number of tourists entering the island and the subsequent commercial development they encourage. The recent protests had a turnout of between 20,000 and 50,000 demonstrators. With 34% of Canary Islanders at risk of poverty or “social exclusion” in 2023, it is no wonder the rising costs of living and housing shortages that come from a tourist-dominated workforce have created unrest.
The protest movement Canaries Se Agota, “The Canaries Have Had Enough,” has inspired some protestors to go on a hunger strike. Other acts of protest included graffiti and demonstrations outside of the parliament building against the construction of new developments. Activists link tourism to degradation in many aspects of life, including housing crises, water shortages, and environmental disasters.
Tenerife, the largest and most populous island in the Canaries, has been a hot spot for protest, with activists holding anti-tourist banners and storming hotel construction sites. What the protestors want is not an end to tourism, which would devastate their economy, but a limit on the number of visitors, an eco-tax, and fewer properties sold to non-residents. The activists believe that the Canaries have reached a point where tourism is unsustainable, and social welfare has broken down.
To curb growing resentment toward tourists in places like the Canary Islands, tourists should consider looking elsewhere to prevent overcrowding and further degradation. They should also respectably conduct themselves, remain aware of their actions and their surroundings, and leave no trace of their visit upon the environment. Beyond that, governments of countries with high levels of tourism need to focus more on accommodating the tourists without it being at the expense of the local population and their daily lives.
Locals supporting better infrastructure to accommodate the expansion of tourism should focus mainly on sustainability and local well-being. What should not decide the fate of tourism in these areas are big development companies and foreign stakeholders. Instead, local businesspeople, shop owners, and citizens who have to deal with the consequences of tourism are the ones who have a stake in the game and who must ultimately decide where to draw the line in the tourism industry.