Urgent Events: Demonstrations over unsustainable tourism in the Canary Islands

On April 20 2024, some 200,000 Canarian people took to the streets to demonstrate against the unsustainable tourism model in the Canary Islands. Activists pointed to over-development putting limited resources under strain, the lowest wages in Spain, and a lack of affordable housing for locals. Despite record tourism numbers, a third of Canarians are at risk of poverty and social exclusion, with some living in cars or caves despite having a job. They called for a moratorium on more hotel buildings and an immediate stop to two contentious luxury resorts in Tenerife: La Tejita and Cuna del Alma. Six people went on hunger strike, and the protesters adopted the “Canarias Se Agota” mantra (The Canaries are Running Out).

Photo credit Sharon Backhouse, Director of GeoTenerife.

The plenary session of the Parliament of the Canary Islands voted on April 24th regarding multiple measures to mitigate the impacts of the mass-tourism model on the economy, environment, and society. Only one of these proposals was approved: measures to “promote the recovery of island and municipal planning”, and to “promote limitations and fees for non-residents to access protected natural areas”. The latter has informally been referred to as an “Eco-tax”. This “Eco-tax” has been controversial due to worries it will discourage visitors and because it does not charge all tourists who visit the islands but tourists who visit the areas of natural beauty.

To illustrate the extent of the planned construction, our @geointern 2023 local scholar Sergio Alfaya studied the project’s 800-page “Plan Parcial” detailing everything that had been authorised, creating a detailed 3D representation of the proposed Cuna del Alma touristic complex in Puertito de Adeje. The size of the polygons in the model indicates the maximum building height from the highest elevation point in each parcel, assuming a 3-meter rise per floor. This visualization makes it clear how much of the natural landscape will be sacrificed for this project.

Diagram credit GeoTenerife 2024

On the 11th of August, Salvar El Puertito organised a protest at El Puertito. Protestors stripped the metal fence erected around the Cuna del Alma construction site. Although there has been no immediate response from the Cuna del Alma developers, the president of Tenerife Cabildo, Rosa Davila, was interviewed the day after the protects in El Puertito and said “It is essential to review the current economic model so that the benefits of tourism revert to the citizens.” 

However, in response, employees, allegedly tore out the protected species Echium Triste on the 13th of August, in response to the protests. This was later denounced by the activist group Salvar La Tejita.

Photo credit Ignacio Garcia, GeoTenerife.

The Adeje City Council officially granted the building permit for the Cuna del Alma tourism project, allowing construction to begin in El Puertito, south of Tenerife. The mayor of Adeje, José Miguel Rodríguez Fraga, set an 18-month deadline for the start of construction and a 48-month timeframe for the project’s completion 

(Canarian Weekly, 2024).

Puertito de Adeje becomes a site of geologic interest by IGME

Through the collaborative research campaign between GeoTenerife and GeoTenerife affiliated students, international researchers, and local experts we were able to demonstrate the geological importance of Puertito de Adeje. The outcrops of the ignimbrite in this location record a type of rare volcanic activity and are of great importance for understanding and mitigating volcanic risk in possible future explosive eruptions in Tenerife. Over 1000 residents have volunteered to sponsor this rock through IGME ‘Adopt a rock’ initiative. Read more here:

Photo credit Natalia Puche-Polo, VolcanoStories collaborator.

Six months after the record-breaking demonstration on April 20th thousands returned to the streets for #20-O. Despite many political comments agreeing with the sentiment of earlier protests, activists complained no comprehensive measures have been implemented. Instead of the hotel moratorium they called for, several new luxury complexes have been given the green light. The Tenerife president fast-tracked an “eco-tax” but protesters say it’s an entrance fee to Masca Gorge, not the global tourist tax they are fighting for. Further anger was stoked as the Cuna del Alma project was given official building permits. Local press put the number of protesters at 8,000, but our drone shots point to around 30,000 in Playa de las Américas.

Photo credit Adriana Ariza Pardo MarineSciCamp student 2024