To be surprised Tenerife is overrun with tourists?

I went three times over the years, never my choice I might add! I didn't really like the touristy parts (playa de Las Americas or whatever it's called). It's just way too touristy. We found it really difficult to find local food! It was all English breakfasts and English pubs. And I'm sorry but I really don't blame the locals for disliking the tourists. You say this like it's shocking but it's completely understandable! Yes of course some tourists are fine but the amount of Brits I saw vomiting in the street, fighting, having sex on the beach - well I can see why the locals are not impressed!! I saw some English blokes with a Union Jack repeatedly going up to locals and putting the flag over their heads. Of course the locals will only notice the bad behaviour, not those that behave well.

Greece charges a tourist tax like some other countries, Gov could use these funds to help their people, build affordable homes for locals, put in future infrastructure to help with the demands tourism has on their Islands resources etc water etc.

I use Greece as an example, tax is per night per accommodation, based on the star rating of the accommodation, 5 star used to be €4 per night, this has now increased to €10 per night. They must make a huge amount of funds via this tax.

Why aren’t the Canaries doing this already? Some might say, Gov doesn’t want to reduce visitors, who knows, but it seems an obvious solution to me.

It really boosted his confidence. I did try with my broken Spanish but he was so embarrassed by my terrible Spanish he did it all himself!

We are going to Tenerife tomorrow. We like it and have been a few times. Trying a different resort this time. We simply need some downtime/relaxation and some sun!!.Great flight times and hotel looks fantastic. Looking forward to long walks overlooking the sea, nice food [ its not all english breakfasts and chips] lovely cocktails and local wine and reading a couple of books. Better than going to work next week!!

I think it’s more about sustainable development. I have friends that go every year, but they’re very active and love hiking, surfing etc and they say it’s great for that. If you just want a beach holiday then it’s probably not the best. I went there once on a girls holiday as a teen and never left the resort town (and barely saw the daylight!). Not the type of holiday I’d have now, but I can see why the behaviour of tourists is a big factor.

Well done to your DS.

But sadly this is true that it's so unexpected that when we Brits bother with the language or even master it that it's an amazing thing.

I wish more of us bothered !

We went to a quieter bit of Tenerife at Christmas It was lovely, and everyone was friendly. The touristy areas are very touristy. My DS is doing Spanish GCSE which was the main reason we chose a Spanish speaking place. Where we were staying they did like him speaking Spanish but we went to Playa Las Americas for the day and he was like the second coming! They were chatting away to him in restaurants, asking him about his Spanish classes at school, telling him he should be teaching us Spanish, helping him with his pronunciation etc. I can imagine they are so used to people shouting at them in English they were delighted to hear a tourist try to speak a bit of Spanish.

The north of the island is beautiful, certain parts of the south are awful.

I was planning a trip there this year for some winter sun. I’m not going now I see tourists aren’t welcome. Will go elsewhere

We stayed in a lovely hotel in Los Gigantes last year. It was wonderful, DD and I swam, sun bathed, ate and went nick-nack shopping. Heaven! No locals were rude to us, in fact they were very pleasant.

I’d rather go to any of the other islands than Tenerife. Went once, never again.

The uncontrolled building is a massive factor.

Lanzarote kept a lid on that and those restrictions plus Cesar Manrique left it relatively unspoiled (except for PDC) if I were to go back to any of the Canaries it would be that one.

5

Totally agree.

If people in the UK were as passionate about things as the Spanish are, there would have been similar protests in Cornwall, the Lake District and several other places. Though apart from 2020 and 2021, those who go there are probably not as unpleasant as the average Brit in Spain is.

The nearest I ever came to that was the camel shit on the beach in Tangier , wow.

The Canaries have never really appealed to me but I think these types of protests will become more common in many tourist areas. It's already happened in Venice with all the massive cruise ships docking there.

I lived in Portugal for quite a few years in a popular tourist area. When I go back now and visit friends their kids are struggling to be able to afford somewhere to live because so many places which might have been rented out long term are now being used for Air Bnbs. Prices have risen so much that even flats are becoming unaffordable.

There has to be a way to balance the needs of tourism (which is necessary for the economies of some areas where the traditional industries are dying out) and the needs of the local people to be able to have affordable housing.

I just got back from there a week ago. Ugly island but we went for the sun and the hotel. It was great weather, my kids had a good time, and all in it wasn't too pricey.

Would I go back? No. Do I regret going? No.

I'm struggling to understand why they wouldn't want tourists, given that the much of island is a shithole.

Tenerife isn’t my cup of tea at all, but OP , Cape Verde is boring AF. If you want winter sun then the UAE, Caribbean , Indian Ocean are all much better options!

Wanted to go to Cape Verde but the flight time is longer and the prices were significantly higher. Went to tenriffe instead. Is it the most incredible place I've even been? Nope. But it was affordable, winter sun and we picked a spot a bit further out. Had a lovely trip to Teide aswell.

I've been over 20 times. Due to work I could only take winter holidays. I stay in the same area and yes it is like Weston super mare with sun. But if you look at the protests it's not about tourists per say but the uncontrolled building, the fact that ex pats, air b&bs are forcing prices up. I met a relative of a England football player who was looking for a property out there in January...he said things were ridiculously expensive.

The hotel I return to time and time again has the nicest, friendliest staff possible. The op went 20 years ago so would have been much younger, the locals have do deal with young pissed up brits all the time...I would be that friendly muself

Agree. I know someone that went for a family birthday and said they wouldn't go back. Not much to do.

Its a well known joke. Should have used the sarcasm font.

Lanzarote and Grand Canaria are beautiful. Never experienced any hostility. Tenerife is a shit tip in comparison! My sister just came back from Tenerife to visit her friend who lives and works there ,she has worked in the Canary Islands for over 30 years . Her friend is absolutely hating living in Tenerife 😞

I think the quality and safety in Tenerife far outweighs these places. I wouldn't take my kids to Egypt or Morocco, would consider Turkey at a push.