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Tourism boom in the Canary Islands sparks sustainability concerns

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19 May 2025

Tourism boom in the Canary Islands sparks sustainability concerns

Adventure tourism

Coastal, maritime and inland water tourism

Cultural tourism

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An illustrative photo of green grass field near body of water.

The Canary Islands welcomed a record 4.36 million international tourists in early 2025, which, despite the economic benefits, has sparked local concerns about environmental impact.

Publishing org

Travel Tomorrow

Topics
Geographical descriptors

Spain

Organisation Type

Academic / Research and VET Institutions

Company with 250 or more employees

Consumer Organisations

Cultural and Heritage Organisations

Destination Management & Marketing Organisations

EU Institutions

Financial Institutions and Investors

Industry Associations and Chambers of Commerce

International Organisations

Local Authorities

Media / Journalist Organisations

National authorities

Networks and Federations / Confederations

NGOs / Non-profits

Regional Authorities

SMEs (a company with less than 250 employees)

Trade Unions

  • Specific types of tourism

    • Adventure tourism

    • Coastal, maritime and inland water tourism

    • Cultural tourism

    • Ecotourism

    • Education tourism

    • Festival tourism

    • Gastronomy tourism

    • Health and medical tourism

    • MICE tourism

    • Mountain tourism

    • Religious tourism

    • Rural tourism

    • Sports tourism

    • Urban/city tourism

    • Wellness tourism

  • Transition Pathway Strategic Areas

    • Governance of tourism destinations

    • Improving statistics and indicators

  • Business activities

    • Activities of amusement parks and theme parks

    • Activities of associations and other organisations supporting tourism

    • Air passenger transport

    • Camping grounds, recreational vehicle parks and trailer parks

    • Events catering and other food services

    • Festivals, cultural and entertainment activities

    • Gardens and nature reserves activities

    • Holiday Housing / Apartments and other short stay accommodation

    • Hotel and similar accommodation

    • Mobile beverage services

    • Mobile food services

    • Museums

    • Operation of historical sites

    • Other

    • Other accommodation

    • Other amusement and recreation activities

    • Other food and beverage services

    • Other holiday reservation services

    • Other tourism transportation activities

    • Rail Passenger transport

    • Recreational and sport activities

    • Restaurants, cafes and bars (Food and Beverage serving activities)

    • Road passenger transport

    • Tour operator activities

    • Travel agency activities

    • Water (sea, coastal and inland) passenger transport

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According to Travel Tomorrow, the Canary Islands welcomed a record-breaking 4.36 million international tourists between January and April 2025, despite growing concerns about overtourism. The United Kingdom remains the leading source of visitors, with Tenerife emerging as the most popular destination. Tourism revenue has soared to EUR 6.86 billion, but local communities are increasingly voicing concerns about environmental strain, water scarcity, and rising living costs. Frequent anti-tourism demonstrations and labour strikes underscore the growing tension between the economic benefits and the long-term sustainability of the region’s tourism model.

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#Destination management #Economic diversification #Tourism indicators 

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