Tenerife Protests: Residents Demand Change to Protect the Islands

In May 2025, thousands of people in Tenerife and across the Canary Islands took to the streets in one of the largest protests in recent years. Under the slogan “Canarias tiene un límite” (The Canary Islands Have a Limit), locals voiced their concerns about the effects of mass tourism and called for urgent reforms to protect their environment and communities.

Why Are Residents Protesting?

The movement is driven by a coalition of environmental groups and community organizations, including ATAN (Asociación Tinerfeña de Amigos de la Naturaleza). Their main message is clear: the current tourism model is unsustainable.

They demand:

Halting new hotel and vacation developments

Demolishing illegal constructions harming the landscape

Implementing laws to regulate property purchases and protect locals’ housing

Promoting renewable energy that respects the environment

These groups stress that their movement is independent and non-political, warning against any party trying to claim their cause.

How Big Are the Protests?

Estimates suggest tens of thousands joined the marches, with Santa Cruz de Tenerife alone seeing around 20,000 to 90,000 participants, depending on the source. The protests have gained international attention, even being covered by foreign media, highlighting the growing global interest in sustainable tourism.

The Economic and Environmental Context

Tourism is vital to Tenerife’s economy—over 7 million tourists visited in 2024, contributing nearly €9 billion. However, many locals feel the benefits aren’t fairly shared, and the environmental cost is too high. Rising housing prices, overcrowding, and natural habitat loss have intensified frustrations.

What’s Next?

The protest organizers have warned that if their concerns remain unaddressed, they could escalate actions, including boycotts and occupying tourist hotspots. Their message is firm: Tenerife’s natural beauty and community welfare must come before unchecked tourism growth.

---

Sources

Cadena SER: Protests in Tenerife

Huffington Post España: International Coverage of Tenerife Protests

Cadena SER: Tourism and Environmental Impact

---

Disclaimer: This article summarizes recent news reports and aims to provide an informative overview of the protests in Tenerife. The views expressed belong to the cited sources.