Touristophobia or the black peter in a hidden truth.

As a resident of this beautiful island since 2010, I live and work in the south of Tenerife. I experience the hustle and bustle of daily life in Tenerife up close.

The demonstrations that took place on April 20 under the name “Canarias tienen un limite”, in Santa

Cruz shows the frustration of many Canarians.

Thousands of Canarians demonstrated in Santa Cruz de Tenerife against the current tourism model, which

it was chanted that 14 million tourists a year is too many, that they are destroying the homes of the

To seduce the Canarians, cause major traffic jams and overpopulate the territory, resulting in

rents become unaffordable.

However, the reality of this problem shows a completely different picture than what many Canarians have

believe the best intentions. That's why I would like to give my opinion and some nuance to the whole

this discussion.

Referring to “tourism” as the problem is a ploy to avoid years of administrative

to sweep the blunders that the island has experienced under the carpet and to pass the buck

shifting to tourism. It is a policy that has been poorly thought out for years, the endless

red tape and a kamikaze “long-term rental law” that led to this

justified dissatisfaction.

Let's talk about some relevant facts:

The Canary Islands have 36% of their surface protected as nature reserves.

They are the region with the third highest percentage in Spain, after Valencia (50%) and Madrid (40%)! Of the Canary Islands, Tenerife has the largest number of protected areas with

no less than 43 nature reserves. This amounts to more than 48.6% of nature and protected areas.

Practically half of the entire island! So there is no shortage of nature. In comparison, Flanders has only 26%. Why do I mention this figure? To avoid the so-called excessive claim on surface area by the

tourism into perspective. Because tourism only occupies… 4% of the land , and yet it creates over half a million jobs and is the driving force behind the Canary Islands’ economy .

On average, only 3,000 homes are built each year in the Canary Islands, while

according to the Bank of Spain, around 11,000 would have to be built to meet the demand of

to satisfy the population. Developers and construction projects sometimes have to wait up to FIVE years to obtain a building permit .

It is not the tourists who cause the daily queues for medical care or waiting lists for the

health care, nor are they the owners of the more than 200,000 (indeed:

two hundred thousand) vacant houses.

Why is there such vacancy? Because the owners are afraid to rent for the long term. It is because of the Spanish kamikaze rental law that the Canarian cannot find a home. This law offers no

protection for the owner. A tenant who stops paying rent cannot be evicted from the property

become. Even if someone breaks in, changes the lock, and poses as the new resident,

the owner can do nothing. Many an owner who had the water and electricity turned off was

summoned to court. The unfortunate owner who has a loan running, must continue to pay it

to pay off to avoid bank foreclosure. While the “okupa” or squatter cannot be evicted and

uses the property free of charge.

What do most owners do to mitigate this risk? They raise rents to keep tenants

to attract people with a higher income. This has resulted in villages where only Canarians live, such as

Granadilla, Buzanada, San Isidro have become unaffordable. These are villages that have nothing to do with tourism

have to do. That is the problem with long-term rental to the local population.

Not at the holiday homes.

Let's talk about traffic and the traffic jam problem . First of all, most

tourists do not have a car. They are taken to their hotels by buses. Secondly:

the stuck problem is due to lack of infrastructure. I remember that in

2012 plans were to build a train connection between the north and south of the

island. Those plans were immediately shot down by… the left and green

parties. The impact on nature would be too great. Yes, you read that right: green parties that are against

a train connection . A few years ago a councillor from Sí se Puede (a group that

the demonstration of April 20) in the Candelaria city council spoke out against the southern

Santa Cruz Adeje railway line. He called that railway line a waste, an unsustainable project, and not

priority for the residents. Supporters of the left-wing party Podemos then called on the population

to oppose the construction of the railway line. Funds from the European recovery plan

according to them, should not be used to finance trains to Gran Canaria and Tenerife.

In the meantime, the only motorway in the whole of Tenerife is not being completed due to bureaucratic

procedures. Is tourism also to blame? The peak season for tourism is behind us

my back as I write this, but I still stand in the same traffic jam every day…

I have already shown that the so-called overdevelopment for tourism is greatly exaggerated.

But there is another strange side to this criticism. The initiators of the demonstrations

(including the collective Salvar La Tejita) protest against the construction of two large,

construction projects that have a negative impact on nature. Where almost half of the

island is a protected nature reserve, this group creates the image that there is overdevelopment with

damage to nature.

Of course, they have every right to be concerned about this. But strangely enough,

that same collective during that same demonstration did not say a word about the construction of a

Formula 1 circuit in Tenerife! This circuit will be located in Atago in the municipality of Granadilla, a ten minute

kilometres from Tenerife South Airport. The first phase started in mid-January this year, with

approval of the current provincial council. The noise pollution from this circuit will even exceed that of the

Tenerife South Airport! The proof of this is that the provincial council has allocated funds

provides for the windows and doors in the surrounding villages in the area to be replaced with government money.

isolate against noise pollution! On a total surface of 650,000 m2, Formula 1 would be here

competitions and weekend races are held where speeds of up to 320 km per hour can be reached

be achieved. Cost to the government 50 million euros. The impact on nature is devastating.

Not to mention the noise pollution. With a surface area of 650,000 m2, one can

easily build 1600 detached family homes with their own garden. And this region is creaking under

housing shortage, as many families who work in the south of Tenerife come from the Granadilla and San

Isidro come.

Canarian policymakers are being shaken awake by a population that has had enough of

the endless bureaucracy, the waiting times, the traffic jams and the never-ending housing shortage. The

Agriculture on the islands is becoming increasingly scarce and industry is struggling to advance.

Attacking tourism is a great way to get attention and thus influence Canarian policy makers

to make it clear that enough is enough. But in doing so, one falls the greatest

income stream of the Canary Islands, the foundation of the entire economy. And that is

a little too easy. A tourist has no name and can't defend himself. A tourist is

Mister X. We can only hope that policy makers are willing and dare to look through this, to

the real roots of the numerous problems that the Canarians are struggling with.

And the tourists? I think they can rest assured. Dream without worrying about your next vacation

in Tenerife. You will still be embraced with that typical Canarian hospitality, and can

enjoy the sun and the subtropical climate.

Jean Martin Vandenhoeck