Several dozen people linked to environmental platforms and social movements in Tenerife have protested this Wednesday during the celebration of the World Corporate Golf Challenge (WCGC) tournament in the municipality of Adeje, to denounce the “nonsense” involved in the expenditure of more than “three millions of liters of water” that these tourist centers have every day.
Organizations such as the Tenerife Friends of Nature Association (ATAN), Salvar la Tejita or Scientific Revolution gathered in front of the facilities of the Costa Adeje Golf Club, where they held a demonstration with proclamations such as “it is not drought, it is looting” with the objective to raise awareness about the impact that these centers have on the island’s water resources.
Sisto Domingo García Nova, belonging to ATAN, has explained to EFE that they are not against tourism, but they do demand a more “sustainable and quality” model, since the impact of the golf courses on the island not only affects the distribution of water, but also to nearby protected areas due to the use of “pesticides, herbicides and other contaminating chemicals.”
“The biggest problem is the scarcity of water we have. While we have a shortage of water in our towns, in our homes, the golf courses continue to be watered, tourists continue to bathe in the beach showers and we do not even have water to water our plants. This is not sustainable,” said García Nova.
The protesters carried signs with messages such as “water for living, not for playing” or “You enjoy, we suffer”, the latter written in English so that tourists could read it, but also against the historic mayor of the municipality of Adeje, José Miguel. Rodríguez Fraga, in office since 1987.
The promoters of the mobilization have stated that the Adeje City Council is contemplating the construction of a new luxury tourist complex with a golf course in the Hoya Grande area, which will be around 90,000 square meters and will have capacity for 1,860 beds, which, in Their opinion will increase pressure on the island’s water capacity, which is currently in a complicated situation after a summer marked by strong heat.
