Nine out of ten Canary Islanders call for a transformation of the current tourism model

A study reveals that housing is the main public concern, ahead of tourism overcrowding and environmental degradation.

Volcanic landscape of the Canary Islands with an urban settlement in the background.
IA

Volcanic landscape of the Canary Islands with an urban settlement in the background.

90% of the population residing in the Canary Islands believes it is necessary to transform the current tourism model, according to a study conducted by Estudios Sociales GEAS 7 for the Fundación Canarina.

The report, based on 409 telephone interviews, highlights that more than half of those surveyed, 52.1%, are calling for a profound change in the sector's management. Additionally, 47.6% of participants directly link mass tourism to the social and environmental problems affecting the islands, with housing access being the most urgent concern for 45.2% of citizens.
The perception that quality of life has deteriorated over the last decade is shared by 70.4% of residents. Among the factors explaining this dissatisfaction, respondents point to the rising cost of living, infrastructure saturation, and tourism pressure. Regarding institutional management, two out of three people believe that administrations ignore social demands.
The study also delves into climate awareness, revealing that 55.7% of the population shows high or very high concern regarding the effects of climate change, with particular intensity on the island of La Palma. Despite this concern, 60.1% of respondents believe that the archipelago is not prepared to face the environmental challenges of the next decade.
The analysis incorporates a gender perspective that shows significant differences. Women demonstrate a greater demand for economic and environmental changes, with 86.3% in favor of deep reforms, and express greater concern regarding job insecurity and social inequality compared to men.