The BRIT branded a 'hypocrite' for leading Tenerife's anti-tourism fanatics: Welsh engineer, 57, with villa in island beauty spot spearheads campaign to limit visitors and tax holidaymakers By Elena Salvoni Published: 21:11 AEST, 27 August 2024 | Updated: 21:24 AEST, 27 August 2024 e-mail 12 View comments A British ex-pat living in Tenerife has been accused of hypocrisy for leading an anti-tourism campaign which supports a tax on holidaymakers coming to the popular Spanish island. Brian Harrison, who originally hails from Bridgend, South Wales, is the secretary general of Salvar La Tejita, a group which calls for curbs on the number of holidaymakers allowed to come to the Canaries. The organisation was started in 2016 to protest against a new hotel being built in the southern Tenerife beauty spot where Brian lives, but has since grown into an influential force in the Spain-wide campaign.
Thousands of Spaniards have taken to the streets this summer as part of anti-tourism protests across the country, including in the Canaries, Balearics and Barcelona - where visitors were even sprayed with water guns by angry locals. But UK holidaymakers are unlikely to expect to see a fellow Brit among protesters' ranks, with Mr Harrison admitting that he is frequently asked: 'Don't you think it's a bit hypocritical?' Brian Harrison, who originally hails from Bridgend, South Wales, is the secretary general of Salvar La Tejita People march on a street during a demonstration for a change in the.