Within the framework of the global debate on sustainability, territorial management, and fundamental rights, Gran Canaria becomes a paradigmatic case of how citizen safety, jurisprudence, and technological innovation converge in a limited area of great tourist appeal. The accidents and the problem of hotel wages have sparked a wave of concern among the main international tour operators operating in southern Gran Canaria, one of the archipelago's busiest tourist areas.
Representatives of major companies in the sector, especially from the German, British, and Nordic markets, have expressed their concern to local authorities about the potential reputational and safety impacts that the lack of professional rescue personnel on some key beaches and hotels along the southern coast of Gran Canaria could have.
The figure is telling: in 2024, the Canary Islands recorded 72 deaths by drowning, making this the leading cause of accidental death in the region, far exceeding traffic accident deaths. Gran Canaria accounts for a significant number of these incidents, especially in tourist areas such as Maspalomas, Playa del Inglés, Amadores, and Anfi del Mar.
During 2024, the Canary Islands archipelago witnessed a worrying figure: 72 people died from drowning, representing 85% more than traffic accident deaths in the region. This figure, collected by the citizen platform Canarias, 1500 km de Costa, highlights a reality as dramatic as it is persistent: the fragility of the prevention and rescue system on the islands' coasts, particularly in areas with high tourist pressure such as Gran Canaria.
In this context, the Spanish Supreme Court has declared null and void Decree 116/2018, by which the Canary Islands government imposed the obligation to provide a lifeguard and rescue service on municipalities with fewer than 20.000 inhabitants. The high court maintains that such a mandate violates the Local Government Basic Law by assigning responsibilities without legislative backing or guaranteeing sufficient funding. This decision, of unquestionable legal rigor, opens a profound debate about the limits of jurisdiction between administrations and the ethical obligation to guarantee safety in natural public spaces.
In parallel, the Gran Canaria Island Council has launched an innovative response with the installation of 19 smart rescue totems on key beaches across the island. These devices, capable of responding immediately to aquatic emergencies, have been instrumental in saving 34 lives, and their impact has transcended borders, sparking interest in cities such as Dubai.
This set of circumstances reflects not only a local problem, but a universal challenge: how can fundamental rights such as life and safety be guaranteed in territories subject to high tourist pressure, without overwhelming the capacity of local institutions? In Gran Canaria, the answer lies in the confluence of fairer governance, more humane technology, and a more conscious citizenry.
The Administrative Litigation Division of the Supreme Court has declared null and void Decree 116/2018, of July 30, issued by the Government of the Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands, which imposed on Canary Islands municipalities with fewer than 20.000 inhabitants the obligation to provide surveillance and security services on beaches with bathing areas. The court upheld the appeal by the Canary Islands Federation of Municipalities against a ruling by the High Court of Justice of the Canary Islands of July 22, 2021, which had deemed the decree to be in compliance with the law.
The Supreme Court points out that the crucial question in the present case is whether the Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands has complied with the requirements of sections three and four of Article 25 of the Local Government Foundations Law by imposing on Canary Islands municipalities with fewer than 20.000 inhabitants the obligation to provide the service under scrutiny. It recalls that the argument of the Canary Islands Supreme Court's ruling and the brief in opposition to the appeal for cassation, in order to give an affirmative answer to this question, is that Decree 116/2018 is an executive regulation of Article 115.d) of the Coastal Law.
