To be surprised Tenerife is overrun with tourists?

[Whenwillitgetwarm]

Have seen in the news that there are mass protests in Tenerife against tourists. There’s lots of graffiti on walls telling tourists to ‘get out!’ etc.

Personally I’m surprised it’s such a popular destination given how awful the place is.

It is hands down the worst place I’ve ever been in my life. I went over 20 years ago. Never again. The locals were the rudest people I’ve ever had the misfortune of meeting. There were lots of high rise hotels, the beaches weren’t nice. However, it’s the attitude of the locals towards tourists even back then that made me vow never go back. Tourists were treated like barely tolerated cash machines.

If you want winter sun, I recommend Cape Verde.

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 !

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.

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!!

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!

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.

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.

Well we are going in December(for the first time) and this thread will not put me off. Researched our hotel(los christianos not PDLA) and my kids will love Siam Park. Its cheap for a winter break and my dh doesn't like anywhere that hot, so ideal for him. I follow some groups on Facebook and tourists are still welcome, they need the tourism. Its people buying property out there that is an issue, same as majorca.

Yes, its the same issue as it is here with the tourist areas- people buying up second homes for air BnB, so no affordable homes for the locals to rent long term.

Well I prefer Tenerife to Cape Verde. I found Cape Verde incredibly boring, just a desert island with nothing to do.

They’re not protesting against tourism, they’re protesting against the exploitation of the island and its people. They want sustainable tourism.

Why is the work situation there precarious? They have all-year-round tourist business.

“Employment is more unstable, with more presence of atypical forms of work, contracts of shorter duration, lower quality of work, lower wages, less bargaining power and higher vulnerability to job loss.”

The 2012 ‘reforms’ meant hospitality and service sectors could be outsourced I.e. workers were dismissed and rehired as employees of a ‘services’ company at a fraction of their former wages.

For example:

“The Hotel Be Live Experience outsourced the work of its housekeeping departments to the multi-services company Genser S.L., which cut wages by almost 40 percent. Dozens of protests and many union complaints to the Lanzarote Labour Inspectorate forced Genser to increase wages by 500 euros, but the company reduced the number of jobs, increased the workload and lengthened the working day.
Workers were required to clean up to 26 rooms a day in addition to cleaning other areas, compelling workers to work up to 10 hours a day without stopping to eat in order to complete their work.

“The precariousness to which these women are subject all over Spain is especially unsustainable against a background of economic recovery” and record tourism activity, says the union”

My DD works as cabin crew and the passengers on the Tenerife flights and the Alicante (Benidorm) ones etc are far from the worst passengers.

d’oh 🤦🏼‍♀️😂

I liked our hotel in Tenerife , but the area around it wasn't the best and seemed a bit run down in places. I have only been once though and I admit I wouldn't go back.
If they don't like the tourists being there I'm sure that people will find somewhere else to go instead where they are wanted.
I can understand why the locals may be fed up with it all , but the ones who work in hospitality and make lots of money from it might not feel the same.
It's going to put people off from travelling there.

Okay thanks for that info. So it sounds as if the Canaries are suffering from all the same things this country's hospitality and blue collar workforce has suffered from in the last 20 years. Globalisation, the inability to compete against cheap foreign labour and the gig economy in general.

no i doubt it has changed radically thanks
it is still sun and sea, where i went, los christianos

^Minniliscious · Yesterday 14:48
It’s the arsehole of the world!^

Nasty comment.

The Canary islands are lovely.

Trouble is, people living in tourist destinations are fed up of the crowds, being priced out of housing due to Air B&B etc.

Been to an airport lately? It's dire, horrendous, so busy and crowded.

What with the COL, staycations are the next upcoming "fashion"

I'm nervous we are all going to Spain in 3 weeks time and this anti tourist thing has got me worried our first holiday abroad in ages since having the kids will be ruined by hostility.

On the one hand I get it I can only imagine the sort of Brits they have had enough of the beer guts hanging out loud mouthed and just drink non stop and think they own the place and sadly it's given the rest of us Brits the same brush that we are all like it, and Spain has been inundated with the sorts be it perhaps they actively encouraged that sort to head there for some time in certain parts of spain and now it's back fired and they've had enough.

I also use to live somewhere not Cornwall in the UK that was always populated by tourist in the summer months and it drove house prices up for locals which has caused so much tension again another thing I can sympathise with the Spanish how can you compete when someone earns double what you do and is buying up property or renting it out as Air b&bs for tourists.

There was a piece on the news a few weeks ago about Ibiza and rents going up too high and people moving over to the mainland for work as they felt priced out in the tourist areas.
Landlords are renting to seasonal workers.
I can understand why the local people are fed up with all of it.

Spain has been inundated with the sorts be it perhaps they actively encouraged that sort to head there for some time in certain parts of spain and now it's back fired and they've had enough.

Well yes, they certainly have encouraged it in certain resorts in Spain and the Spanish islands, Greece, Cyprus etc. Or at least they have chosen to exploit that particular market and build their whole business model around it, so they can hardly be surprised when the nicer, more civilised tourists actively avoid certain resorts. They've created their own monster I suppose.

Talking of Ibiza....

Ibiza locals living in cars as party island sees rents soar (bbc.com)

You must live a very sheltered life.

Surely the arsehole of the world more resembles Blackpool or Clacton (Jaywick anyone?)

Just to name a couple.

@TedWilson 🤣🤣🤣 Far from it pal. I repeat - it’s the arsehole of the world …..

Definitely this 😁👍

It is very beautiful, sunny and the main tourist towns are really cheap for younger tourists… sonYABU!