The social platform ‘Canarias tiene un límite’ has called for a protest action this Sunday at 11:30 am in the Ramblas de Santa Cruz, as a boycott against the ‘FVW Travel Talk’ congress of the German tourism industry, taking place in the capital city.
The Telesforo Bravo Foundation, one of the groups within the platform, warned this week through social media that «mass tourism is destroying Canarias» with an «completely unsustainable» figure of nearly 18 million tourists last year.
«There is no limit and tourism continues to grow unchecked, leading the islands towards an environmental and social collapse. We continue to swim in sewage and endure hours of traffic jams every day, while tourism keeps growing and these problems worsen. The coast, which belongs to everyone, continues to be destroyed to build hotels and developments for foreigners,» they emphasized.
CRITICISM OF THE TOURISM MODEL IN CANARIAS
In this regard, they insisted that «tourists find hundreds of vacation rental options, while local people find it practically impossible to rent a house to live in.»
In their opinion, «there is no effective protection of protected natural spaces, and tourists come to Canarias to behave as if it were a theme park where they can do as they please.»
The Foundation has highlighted that «locals» can no longer enjoy the special places of the islands «without being surrounded by tourists, and the list goes on, it’s very long.»
They criticized the Government of Canarias because «they have not listened to the population» after the «historic protests» of last year when Canarias «is at the forefront in Spain in poverty and social exclusion, with a tourism model that does not generate wealth for the local population.»
OPINIONS FROM THE CABILDO OF TENERIFE
The Vice President of the Cabildo of Tenerife, Lope Afonso, stated this week to the media that this demonstration is not taking place at an «especially opportune moment,» as it occurs within the framework of a meeting that will be «significant, bringing together a large part of the professional German tourism sector.»
In a press conference this Wednesday, regarding the government council agreements, Afonso expressed his «conviction» that the concentration will proceed with «absolute normality,» since by «exercising the right to concentration correctly,» there should be «no inconvenience» from a security point of view.
«We respect it as we have respected other types of calls,» he added.
THE COLLECTIVES DO NOT SEE A RESPONSE AFTER THE 20A
«Our expectations for the concentration tomorrow are that a large group of people will come to make their voices heard against what is a real disaster in terms of tourism policy,» stated the director of the Telesforo Bravo Foundation, among the organizing groups, Jaime Coello, in statements to Europa Press.
In a way, he explains, the call responds to the fact that, at the moment, «there is no change in the economic model in Canarias, as everything is entrusted to tourism,» with «an absolute overcrowding of our islands, a loss of quality of life, and a deterioration of environmental conditions, with aggressions like Cuna del Alma and La Tejita.»
Coello pointed out one of the latest projects announced by the Tenerife Cabildo, the ‘Underwater Garden’ park in Guía de Isora: «As it seems that bricks and concrete are starting to elicit rejection from a significant part of the population, then we look for other labels and talk about regenerative tourism…».
It is here that the director of Telesforo Bravo has clarified his opinion on the conservation and preservation of landscapes: «the best intervention is the one that does not occur.»
In conclusion, he continued, these collectives denounce the arrival of large projects «that lead to the destruction of the environment.» Coello exemplified this aspect with the Tenerife trains, an absolute «madness» due to the «loss of quality of life» and «landscapes and ecosystems» they would entail.
Regarding the call that these collectives will organize tomorrow, in front of the ‘FVW Travel Talk’ Congress in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, he notes that this will serve to expose to «the employers» gathered there the «discontent» that «many people in Canarias» have regarding the «business they conduct.»
Asked if there has been a dialogue with the different administrations of the islands, Coello recalled when the ‘Canarias Palante’ forum was created, where «a multitude of proposals converge,» while «the Government never picked up a phone or contacted anyone.»
