From the social and ecological movement Canarias tiene un límite (Canary Islands has a limit) have warned that the political class "is responding to social pressure with measures that avoid the core of the problem: massive and uncontrolled tourism that is saturating our islands." In a press release they have highlighted that, instead of "valiantly assuming" the need for a tourism and vacation moratorium, the institutions "opt for superficial actions that create the appearance of change without transforming the underlying model."
While access fees to natural spaces, limitations in enclaves such as Roque Nublo, or debates on residency laws are announced, "the word moratorium is not mentioned even once, despite being one of the clearest and most repeated demands by citizens." At this point, they have highlighted that in Gran Canaria, the case is "particularly scandalous: the Cabildo has approved the creation of more than 129,000 new tourist beds, which would mean doubling the current offer." Furthermore, they indicate that "all this, under the discourse of a supposed eco-island.”
Canarias tiene un límite indicates that "this contradiction between the institutional discourse and the real political decisions evidences a distraction strategy that seeks to disguise tourist growth under a layer of apparent sustainability."
From the group they have denounced that "this way of acting not only does not solve the structural problems that the archipelago is going through —collapse of services, loss of biodiversity, pressure on housing, and territorial saturation—, but it discredits the legitimate demand of those of us who defend a livable future for these islands."
One of the most recent examples of this erratic policy is that of Roque Nublo, a natural symbol of Gran Canaria, where a restricted access system has been imposed through a digital application and quotas that do not differentiate between tourists and the resident population, and even reserve places for tourism companies. Canarias tiene un límite has considered that "this type of measure sets a dangerous precedent, which includes resident population and tourists in the same order towards a commodification of protected spaces, while others with overload do not have limitations such as the Guayadeque Natural Monument or the Maspalomas Dunes Reserve."
This type of measure is spreading to other islands: in Tenerife, an eco-tax is already charged to access the Masca Ravine, and similar measures are being considered in the Teide National Park. In Fuerteventura, political representatives have announced that they are studying implementing an eco-tax in Cofete and in the Corralejo Dunes. All these actions confirm "an institutional tendency to limit access to the environment without questioning the total volume of tourists or the growth of the tourism business," they continued.
Similarly, they have defended that "the application of an eco-tax in natural spaces cannot replace or divert the focus from the real debate." Thus, they have added that what they demand "is not only a fee for visiting protected spaces, but a final eco-tax per night, applied only to non-residents, which directly contributes to the restoration of ecosystems, the improvement of public services and the resilience of the territory. This measure, in addition to being fair, is widely used in other destinations around the world."
Therefore, from they demand "a firm and structural political commitment, which includes:
- An indefinite tourism and vacation moratorium, which stops the creation of new tourist beds and puts a stop to the uncontrolled growth of the sector.
- A final eco-tax per night exclusively for non-residents, applied to the tourism business association, which finances environmental restoration and public services.
The movement has warned that "everything that does not go through these comprehensive measures will continue to be propaganda and green cosmetics, while the territory, the environment and the quality of life of those of us who live here continue to deteriorate. The Canary Islands cannot continue to support this model. The moratorium is not an option: it is an urgency."
