Social media and digital messaging platforms in the Canary Islands are in turmoil because Tenerife wants to drive tourism away from the island and has launched a campaign affecting the entire archipelago. For example, during Easter 2025, there was no workers' strike in the south of Gran Canaria, but there was in Tenerife because they are unable to get things under control there. And now, following these workplace incidents, a tourism-phobia agenda is emerging that populists and civil servants in Las Palmas want to spread to Maspalomas and Mogán. Among the organizers is Greenpeace, which has to pay the equivalent of €620 million in the US, an amount that affects its parent company Greenpeace International, due to a toxic lawsuit against an energy company.
The Turkish Ministry of Tourism recently confirmed an increase in visitors coinciding with a drop in bookings to the Canary Islands, suggesting a shift in behavior among European tourists, who are more sensitive than ever to the perception of conflict in the destination. The Canary Islands are at a turning point. Arrival numbers remain high, but the narrative is no longer one of celebration. Growing social tension, threats to environmental sustainability, and the expulsion of residents due to tourism speculation have placed the archipelago at the center of the debate about the tourism of the future.
In Tenerife, tour operators have begun to reduce their exposure to that destination, but the risk is that it could contaminate Gran Canaria with tourismophobia. What once represented record numbers and economic euphoria is now marred by growing protests, symbolic vandalism, and a visible drop in hotel bookings. Everything indicates that the messages from Tenerife residents, fed up with the effects of mass tourism, are beginning to resonate with potential visitors.
Tenerife, the archipelago's most visited gem, without beaches, attracted more than six million foreign tourists last year. However, the social climate has changed. Protests against touristification are no longer anecdotal: they call for urgent regulation of vacation rentals, accuse the sector of inflating housing prices, and denounce the deterioration of protected natural areas.
Far from institutional slogans, graffiti such as "Kill a tourist" and images of burning rental cars have appeared around the world. The consequences have not been long in coming: major British and German tour operators are already reporting a slowdown in bookings to Tenerife for this summer.
Citizen pressure has also spread to international institutions and media. Activists are demanding the return of public spaces and that the well-being of the resident population be prioritized over speculative interests. "They've stolen our right to live on our land," cry groups such as Canarias se agota (Canary Islands is Exhausted) and La Palma Reverdece (La Palma Reverdece).
Adding to this tension is the housing crisis. The rise of platforms like Airbnb has led to a drastic transformation of the real estate market. In many neighborhoods, more than 40% of homes are designated for tourist rentals, which has displaced local families and inflated prices unsustainably. While the Canary Islands face their particular storm, other destinations are beginning to capitalize on the situation. Turkey, until recently overshadowed by Spain and Greece, is seeing a wave of new reservations, especially from Britons, Russians, and Germans. With cheaper resorts, a weakened lira, and a less hostile discourse, the Eurasian country is emerging as a clear alternative. Meanwhile, local governments must decide whether to prioritize quantitative growth at all costs or opt for a fairer, more regulated, and sustainable model. The message is clear: uncontrolled tourism can kill the goose that lays the golden eggs.
