And why it's not about you

There’s been a shift in Tenerife lately. Beneath the sunshine and hotel jingles, frustration has been bubbling up. In the spring of 2024, thousands of residents joined island-wide anti-tourism protests, not because they hate holidaymakers, but because the current tourism model is no longer working for them. And it still isn't in 2025.

But despite the sensationalist headlines in the UK media, their aim isn’t for tourists to “go home.” It’s “let’s do this better.”

Tenerife’s economy depends heavily on visitors, especially in the south. But as tourist numbers soar, many locals feel priced out and pushed aside. Long-term housing has become almost impossible to find near resort areas. Young people with full-time jobs are living with their parents into their 30s because rental prices are through the roof. At the same time, much of the money made from tourism doesn’t stay on the island; it goes to overseas tour operators and foreign property owners.

The recent anti-tourism protests in Tenerife aren’t about turning away visitors. They’re about demanding sustainable tourism in Tenerife, the kind that respects the environment and ensures those who live and work on the island also share in its success. Protestors want regulations that put local needs first: fair access to housing, limits on short-term holiday rentals, and better protection of natural spaces like Mount Teide and the coastline.

They’re also calling for a tourist tax, with the money reinvested into public services, infrastructure and environmental care. It’s not an attack on holidaymakers. It’s a push for fairness and a healthier balance between residents and the industry that surrounds them.

Tourists are still welcome in Tenerife. Locals recognise the importance of visitors to the island’s economy and identity. But they want those visitors to understand that the system, as it stands, is causing damage. Overcrowded roads, polluted coastal areas, rising prices and a shortage of housing aren’t the signs of a thriving society; they’re the signs of an industry that’s been allowed to grow without enough care for the people who keep it running.

Tenerife isn’t alone. Across the Canary Islands, calls for reform are growing louder. But Tenerife, with its mix of mass tourism and fragile ecosystems, sits at the heart of the conversation.

The protests in Tenerife should be seen as a turning point. If the island gets it right, with sustainable tourism that respects residents as much as it welcomes visitors, it could set the standard for the rest of Spain and beyond.

And if you happen to be here when the demonstrations take place, don't look at the participants as if they don't want you there; look at them as parents fighting for the right to put a roof over the heads of their children at a price they can afford. Think of them as people who, like the rest of us, want the best for their families and want their basic human needs to be prioritised over the government's clamour for more and more visitors at any cost.

For now, the message is clear: tourists aren’t unwelcome in Tenerife, but unchecked tourism is.