MADRID – Life in paradise seems to be turning into hell as a wave of protests against “overtourism” sweeps Spain ahead of the holidays.

Campaigners are planning demonstrations across the Canary Islands on Saturday, claiming Britain’s favorite Spanish destination is a victim of overdevelopment, with rallies in Madrid, Malaga and even Berlin and London to show support.

Activists in Canarias Se Agota (Canary Islands Sold Out) have been on hunger strike since last week against two major hotel developments.

Hoteliers in the Canary Islands have pledged to build housing for tourism workers to help address a shortage of staff accommodation.

In Barcelona and the Balearic Islands, activists posted fake English-language signs on popular beaches warning of falling rocks or dangerous jellyfish.

The Spanish government says it is committed to sustainable tourism but claims the key economic sector supports 2.7 million jobs and will see record numbers of holidaymakers.

Spanish Tourism Minister Jordi Hereu said that a record 9.8 million international tourists came to Spain this year.

“March visitor employment figures are at the level of world powers and committed to a more sustainable model,” he said in a video statement Posted on social media platform X.

Spanish Housing Minister Isabel Rodríguez has promised that the government will crack down on tourist apartments in cities where locals find it difficult to afford housing. “We will have to intervene and restrict tourist apartments. We cannot turn a blind eye,” she told nation Last week’s newspapers.

Jet2holidays this week became the first UK operator to sign up to Majorca’s Responsible Tourism Pledge.

However, the Spanish airline association said last week that Iberia expects a record summer season and will fill 13% more seats than in 2023.

Canary Islands President Fernando Clavijo said the protests in the islands were motivated by “tourism phobia” and called for common sense as tourism is the engine of the islands’ economy, contributing an estimated 35% of GDP.

Sharon Backhouse, the UK founder of sustainable travel company GeoTenerife, says it’s not enough to pay lip service to “sustainable tourism”. “Sustainable tourism means paying fair wages and allowing local people to own their own businesses [tourist companies],” she told I.

“If the island has record numbers of visitors but a third of the population is at risk of poverty, that’s not going to work. I’ve written to Clavijo saying we need radical change.

“But that’s not to say investors shouldn’t profit, because I’m an investor too. We need to allow local people, not just investors, to benefit from a booming tourism industry.”

Ms Backhouse insisted Canarians did not hate British tourists. “This is not a war on tourists, they are just asking to be the beneficiaries of this war and not live in poverty and not just change sheets in a hotel,” she said.

Marcelo Sánchez-Oro, author of the book The relationship between hosts and tourists: from colonization to touristophobiasaid synergy between residents and tourists depends on balance.

“What matters is that their individual needs are met. When that breaks down, that’s when the problems begin,” he told I.

“This has had a contagion effect, with protests increasing in Barcelona, ​​Malaga and elsewhere. Locals feel that despite the influx of tourists, they are not getting much in return.”