Sunday, August 11, 2024 Residents of Lanzarote and Tenerife are grappling with a challenging situation as they strive to limit the influx of foreign tourists to their islands. Despite their efforts, the demand from international visitors, particularly from the UK, continues to soar. This growing trend is making it increasingly difficult for locals to manage the balance between tourism and the preservation of their communities.
Recent data from Eurostat, the European Commission’s statistical office, highlights a dramatic increase in holiday bookings across the Canary Islands. According to the figures, there has been an astounding 55.4% rise in reservations through popular online platforms such as Booking.
com and Airbnb since 2018. This surge underscores the growing popularity of the islands as a top destination for travelers, further complicating local efforts to curb the influx of tourists. In just five years, the annual number of bookings has skyrocketed from 14.
3 million to an impressive 22.3 million. This significant rise reflects the escalating demand for the Canary Islands, raising concerns among residents who are trying to find ways to preserve the cultural and environmental integrity of their homes while accommodating the growing wave of tourists.
The tension between maintaining the islands’ unique identity and managing the booming tourism industry continues to be a pressing issue for Lanzarote and Tenerife. November 2023 set a new milestone with an unprecedented 2.