The platform will soon announce further demonstrations.
Santa Cruz de Tenerife, 16th February (Europa Press) –
Several dozen individuals protested this Sunday outside a Tourism Industry Congress held in Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
With conch shells, whistles, and placards, people of all ages gathered along the Rambla de Santa Cruz de Tenerife, near the Mencey Hotel, where the ‘FVW Travel Talk’ convened representatives from the German tourism sector.
“We are going to make a lot of noise to ensure that those inside hear us well,” declared one protester moments before the rally began, organised by ‘Canary Islands has a limit’, under the close watch of National Police officers.
The assembled crowd voiced various slogans, encapsulating the “social outcry” previously expressed during events like April 20, 2024, regarding the management and current economic model of the archipelago: “This is not tourism phobia, it is about survival.” “Less concrete and more foundation,” echoed through the gathering in its early moments.
“Nothing has changed since the major demonstrations of last year, and we are here to demand limits on tourism, a tourist moratorium,” stated activist and documentarian Felipe Ravina in comments to the media.
He clarified that this protest “is not against tourism” but rather calls for the imposition of “limits,” asserting it would be “beneficial” for the islands: “It will enable us to provide higher quality tourism and improve the quality of life for those of us who live here.”
Ravina highlighted that “much of the population” is aware of the impact, citing various instances: “Someone purchases your home to convert it into a holiday rental, the place you have known for years is transformed into luxury villas, and when you visit the supermarket, you no longer hear Spanish being spoken,” he listed.
The Redistribution of Wealth
“Statistics indicate that we are effectively at the top tier of poverty and social exclusion. Therefore, the wealth that is supposedly generated by tourism is not reaching the people,” remarked the Tenerife documentarian, further noting how “mass tourism” is “gradually degrading” the islands, “consuming more land” and increasingly impacting the local population.
When asked if there will be more demonstrations soon, he confirmed that new dates will be announced shortly, as the goal, he explained, is to “continuously demonstrate” to the political class that discontent is “growing.” “People are going to fight.”
“If the territory dies, where do I place my heart?”
Alongside calls for a tourist moratorium, Sunday’s demonstration was also characterised by a “call” against ongoing tourist projects on the islands, such as the soul crib in southern Tenerife and the situation resulting from the sea’s pollution.
“We are still swimming in contaminated waters. We are enduring the same problems after years of struggle,” noted Ravina, who added that “only in Tenerife, we have over 200 active outlets discharging wastewater along the coast.”
“If the territory dies, where do I put my heart?” he emphasised, advocating for a shift towards a more sustainable model that guarantees “quality” and a future for the islands.
