Canary Island holiday hotspots face 'total collapse' unless one major change made

Travel experts believe the Canary Islands, including Gran Canaria, Tenerife and Lanzarote, are facing economic chaos due to the overwhelming amount of urban development and tourism demands

Canary Island residents are demanding urgent change as they fear the region's economy could "collapse" under the weight of tourist demands.

Experts last week claimed the islands, which have always been popular among British holidaymakers, were on the verge of destruction due to the overwhelming amount of urban development resulting from tourist demand. The islands are situated off Africa's west coast but are part of Spain, and include the popular Brit resorts of Tenerife, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura and Gran Canaria. One resident alleged that the economic woes laying waste to the island are the result of short-term holiday rentals, like those booked through Airbnb.

Expert Nicola Quinn, who works for the Moving to Spain website while living in Tenerife - where she's been for the past 20 years - said that illegal Airbnbs are making island life "unsustainable". She notes that tourism is not the sole reason, adding that the construction of large hotels is a positive as it gives locals job opportunities.

Speaking to the Daily Star, Nicola explained: "Significant tourist growth across many of the Canary Islands has absolutely had a massive impact over the last decade. Huge resort complexes owned by international brands are popping up wherever there’s any room left. These hotels are great because they create jobs for locals and, in the case of high-end luxury hotels, they attract high-spending tourists."

She continued: "But these hotels are just one consequence of the Canaries’ boost in tourism. Due to the high demand for tourist accommodation and the lenient long-term rental laws that favour squatters, property owners would much rather rent their apartments to tourists on sites like Airbnb instead of locals. It’s safer for them and they can earn more money.

"This has caused an archipelago-wide housing crisis, where people who have jobs simply cannot afford to rent accommodation. Finding something as simple as a studio for under €1,000 (£856) per month is practically impossible unless you can afford to pay for 12 months’ rent upfront."

Across the islands, an average salary is just £19,235, far less than the national average of £22,567. In fact, earnings on the island are the second lowest of any area in Spain.

Nicole added: "Putting a restriction on tourist accommodation in the Canaries is a solution that many people favour, but I have my reservations. Cutting down on illegal Airbnb rentals would be an excellent start. I’ve personally stayed in six private properties throughout the Canaries this year and only two had the official licence needed to offer short-term rentals.

"Implementing stronger laws that make it safer for property owners to rent their apartments long-term while providing additional social housing would have a huge impact, too. I understand that you can’t put these changes into effect overnight. But the current situation is unsustainable. When the islands are booming with tourists but the locals who make sure they’re well taken care of can’t afford to have a roof over their heads, things need to change."

Hotelier, bar owner and expat John Parkes - who has lived in Tenerife since 1987 - also believes holiday rentals are the culprit. He said: "The biggest issue is space and infrastructure, the Canarian government has always attempted to control the quality of tourism by having a moratorium on new tourist accommodation being built, currently only five-star accommodation is allowed to be built.

"However they undermined this by legalising private rentals which are called Viviendas Vacacionales. This turned almost every property into a potential tourist bed overnight, reducing the availability of long-term rentals for residents and pushing them out of town."