IRISH publicans in Tenerife say it’s back to business as usual following weeks of major tourism protests across the Canary Islands.
Thousands of locals from the Canary Islands took to the streets to protest last month amid demands that “tourists go home”.
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The islands, located off the coast of northwestern Africa, are a major holiday hotspot for Irish and British sun-seekers all year round.
But it seems to be business as usual for the Irish expats as business for them is thriving as the summer months kick in.
Tourists had been ringing ahead in panic, wondering whether they should cancel their travel plans after Tenerife locals turned out in their thousands for the anti-tourist protest in April.
The chaos began when Canary Islands regional president Fernando Clavijo said he was worried about graffiti appearing on the island, including, “tourists go home.”
And campaigners mounted plans to take to the streets on April 20 with the slogan, ‘the Canary Islands have a limit’.
Speaking to The Irish Sun, one Irish bar owner in Tenerife shared an update on life on the island and how business is kicking off for the hoard of summer tourists.
There have been no more tourist protests since the now infamous one on April 20 – and according to Gerry Higgins of The Claddagh Irish Music Bar, no more are planned.
Gerry told The Irish Sun: “The president of the Cabildo has said they are going to address changes in the tourist model.
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“They have said the model has worked well for the last 50 years, it had transformed the islands from been impoverished to what they are today.
“She said they had acknowledged the campaign against environmental protection and they have proposed a small fee for tourists travelling to the Teide National park and other beauty spots on the island for the upkeep and improvements in these areas, which I agree with.”
With the government on the Canary Islands taking the message of the protesters on board, Gerry says the number of tourists coming to Tenerife has been unaffected.
He said: “There has been no change in tourists numbers, no hostility towards tourists.
“Tenerife is still busy, flights from the UK have dropped in price, car hire is cheap.
“Sun is shining, craic is good, what more would you want?”
Gerry previously warned against a tourist ban, telling The Irish Sun: “Tourism down the south here is our main industry. That’s the beast, it’s how they [the Government] make their money.
“There’s nothing here only tourism, banning tourists is not the way to go.”
HOTSPOT BOOMING
Fergal Flaherty of the Hole In The Wall in Tenerife reiterated Gerry’s comments, saying the situation since last month had “calmed down”.
He told The Irish Sun: “It’s all calmed down, we haven’t seen a thing. If there is a protest, it’s controlled by the police.
“I’ve talked to loads of tourists and asked them how they felt and most of them haven’t seen a thing, haven’t heard a thing.”
The Canary Tourist Board noted that in July of 2020, there were zero tourists in the Canary Islands, but they saw 16.2 million in December 2023.
The tourism industry has also seen a substantial growth in recent years, with it generating €14.9million in 2019 and €19.5million in 2023.
In one move to curb fury, tourists will now face a small fee when visiting the island’s natural spaces.
As well as the 12,188ft Mount Teide, Irish tourists will also have to pay to get into the Anaga and Teno Rural Parks in the north-west of the island once the system is in place from its scheduled start date of January 1 2025.
The amount Irish visitors will be charged has not yet been indicated.
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