Canary

The surge in tourism has been primarily driven by holidaymakers from the UK, with Great Britain overtaking Germany as the island’s leading market in the first quarter of 2025

The Canary Islands have been a firm favourite destination for sun-seeking sightseers from the shores for decades, but one isle in particular is witnessing a significant increase in tourism this year.

While Lanzarote has been lauded for its measured and sustainable approach to managing visitor growth, Fuerteventura has experienced the highest surge in tourist arrivals among the Canary Islands during the first quarter of 2025, sparking concerns about the island’s capacity to cope with the rapid influx.

According to official figures, Fuerteventura welcomed a staggering 758,195 tourists between January and March, marking a 7.8 per cent increase compared to the same period last year. This translates to an additional 55,120 visitors in just three months — a substantial jump that far outpaces the growth seen on neighbouring islands.

In contrast, Lanzarote recorded a rise of 1.9 per cent, while Gran Canaria and Tenerife experienced increases of 2.8 per cent and 2.1 per cent, respectively.

READ MORE: Canary Islands declares ‘pre-emergency’ as warning issued to British tourists

Fuerteventura’s growing tourist numbers have been primarily driven by British holidaymakers, with the UK overtaking Germany as the island’s leading market, with 243,181 British tourists arriving in the first quarter — a 13.2 per cent increase from the same period in 2024. Meanwhile, German visitor numbers declined slightly by 1.3 per cent, from 239,500 early last year, to 236,398 in 2025.

Fuerteventura’s tourism boom is somewhat of a double-edged sword. The increase in visitors boosts the local economy, supporting jobs in hospitality, retail and transport, but the rapid influx raises serious questions about the island’s infrastructure and environmental sustainability.

Unlike Lanzarote, which has been praised for its strategic tourism management, including controlled development and investment in sustainable infrastructure, Fuerteventura seems to be struggling to keep pace with demand. The island’s roads, water supply, waste management systems and accommodation capacity are all under mounting pressure.

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Local authorities and residents have voiced concerns about overcrowding, environmental degradation and the strain on natural resources, particularly in popular beach areas and protected natural parks — there have even been anti-tourism protests.

On Sunday, May 18, residents from all over the Canary Islands took to the streets in coordinated mass demonstrations in 15 locations — including in Fuerteventura — to demand an end to what organisers called an “unsustainable and exploitative economic model”.

The Canary Islands have long been a model for balancing tourism with environmental preservation, but Fuerteventura’s current trajectory could threaten this stability. The island’s unique landscapes, including its dunes and marine ecosystems, are vulnerable to overcrowding. Without careful planning and investment, the very attractions that draw visitors to the isle could be harmed, undermining long-term tourism prospects.

Experts suggest that Fuerteventura needs to adopt a more sustainable tourism strategy, similar to Lanzarote’s approach. This could include measures such as limiting the number of new hotel developments, enhancing public transport options to reduce traffic congestion, promoting eco-friendly tourism activities, and investing in renewable energy and water conservation technologies.

In November 2024, Jessia de Leon, the Canary Islands’ Minister of Tourism, announced that the archipelago intends to improve on the previous concept of ‘sustainable tourism’ after unveiling a groundbreaking new approach, which focuses on three main areas: new regulatory framework, transforming tourist spaces and climate action. She said: “It’s about erasing or at least compensating for the footprint left by those who visit the Canary Islands.”

Fuerteventura remains a vibrant destination beloved by Brits, but one that stands at a crossroads. It must urgently address the pressures of its newfound popularity to ensure a sustainable future.

Has rising anti-tourist sentiment put you off from visiting the Canary Islands? Let us know in the comments section below

Demonstrators are getting ready to flock to the streets en masse, calling for huge reform to the Canary Island’s tourism model. Here’s exactly where the protestors will occur

Thousands of fed-up locals across the Canary Islands will take to the streets this weekend – demanding drastic change to the ‘unsustainable’ tourism model. It follows the record-breaking number of visitors that flocked to the archipelago last year, and the subsequent string of demonstrations.

After blaming holidaymakers for worsening Spain’s housing crisis, activists, and members of the Canarian diaspora abroad will gather en masse on Sunday, May 18 to call for new legislation that puts an end to ‘exploitative economic models’ on the island. This includes putting a halt to ‘destructive’ projects such as high-profile hotels, and freezing new tourist developments.

Protestors also want a green energy transition, and an eco-tax for tourists. The latter has already been mulled over in hotspots such as Tenerife’s Teide National Park – which is slated to implement an entrance fee in 2026.

READ MORE: Brits ‘caught off guard’ in major EU holiday hotspot as little-known rule exposed

Other demands include ‘cultural and social heritage protection’, clamping down on marine pollution, and rejecting macro-infrastructure projects. “If they don’t listen in the streets, they’ll hear us in everyday life,” one protest organiser told local news.

According to Canarian Weekly, protests will take place in 15 areas across the Canary Islands, and demonstrators have vowed they ‘won’t stop’ until they’ve achieved the change of model the Canary Islands urgently need’. If you’re heading over to the hotspot this week, you may want to avoid the following areas.

Canary Island’s anti-tourist protests – where to avoid

• Tenerife – Plaza Weyler, Santa Cruz, 11:00am
• Gran Canaria – Auditorio Alfredo Kraus, Las Palmas, 11:00 am
• Lanzarote – Quiosco de la Música, Arrecife, 11:00am
• Fuerteventura – Plaza de la Iglesia, Puerto del Rosario, 11:00am
• El Hierro – Consejería de Turismo, Valverde, 11:00am
• La Palma – Plaza de La Alameda, Santa Cruz de La Palma, 11:00am
• La Gomera – Plaza de Las Américas, San Sebastián, 11:00am

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The upcoming protests are hardly a surprise, as anti-tourist sentiment has been escalating across Spain for some time – and has even taken a violent turn. Back in March, a shocking sign threatening to ‘Kill A Tourist’ was spotted in Tenerife, while reports also emerged that anonymous activists had torched rental cars on the island to send a clear message to holidaymakers.

Last month, Spain passed a law in a desperate attempt to appease frustrated residents. Following an update to the Horizontal Property Act, those wanting to cash in on the influx of Brits by renting out their house to holidaymakers will now need to gain a 60 per cent majority vote from neighbouring property owners.

The brutal new rule means homeowners putting their apartments on sites like Airbnb or Booking.com without the ‘necessary support’ will be asked to cease operations. They may be threatened with legal action if they ignore the warning.

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