A tourist in search of quick and easy “fun” has sparked controversy in Tenerife by agreeing to jump into a public fountain in exchange for 20 Euros. The incident took place at the Fuente de las Américas, located in front of the Hard Rock Cafe Tenerife, in Los Cristianos, Arona.
The young man, shirtless, in swim trunks and flip flops, starred in a video where one of his companions offers him 20 Euros to “do something funny”. Without hesitation, the young man accepts the challenge. Before jumping, he hands his sunglasses and the money earned to another person and runs towards the fountain, diving in amidst the laughter of his friends.
Security intervention
The group’s fun was interrupted by two security members, who quickly pulled the young man out of the fountain. In the video, one of the security personnel is seen soaked, the tourist missing one of his flip flops, slipping as he is escorted out of the fountain.
The video has sparked great outrage among the locals. Comments criticizing the tourist’s attitude and the perception such behaviour creates about tourism on the island were swift. Among the most notable comments are those that mock the “quality tourism” that Canary Island politicians attract and lament that the young man did not find the fountain empty.
The incident has reignited the debate about the type of tourism promoted in the Canary Islands and the consequences of irresponsible actions by visitors. The Eurocup final may have been played in Berlin, but it had its repercussions in the Canary Islands. In Tenerife, the British colony, made up of tourists and residents, gathered in the south of the island to watch the match together and celebrate or mourn as a family. It was the latter, and while the behaviour during last Sunday was respectful and harmonious, there is always one black sheep in the flock.
In this case, it was found on the Avenida de Las Américas. There, in the commercial area known as the ‘Golden Mile’, an English-speaking individual stood out. In a video uploaded three days ago on TikTok, you can see how a shirtless young man is encouraged by others to jump into the central fountain of the commercial area. He agrees after being offered 20 Euros. The young man takes a run-up, climbs the first wall and jumps into the air into the fountain. Given the height of the jump, it is expected that he took quite a hit, as the water level is not enough to cushion that fall before hitting the bottom.
Consequences and criticisms
Due to this trait, something worse could have happened than what we are recounting. After jumping in the fountain, he is removed by the security personnel of the shopping centre. He does so with one less item in his attire. If we notice, he goes in with two flip flops and comes out with one, which remained in the water.
The video has stirred some controversy over the attitude of the young man. With the 20A mobilizations in favour of regulating tourism in Canarias still fresh in memory, many are commenting on this situation. Both locals and foreigners.
From “Disgraceful behaviour no wonder the Spanish don’t like the English” to “That is why they hate English. Sorry lovely ppl of Tenerife for all of them. Not all of us, tourists are like this, only ones from UK“.
