The popular islands are a big hotspot for many holidaymakers worldwide, but now the destination has been included in a 2026 list under ‘destinations to reconsider’
Los Cristianos, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain(Image: Getty Images)
Tourists who are planning on taking a trip to the Canary Islands this summer are being asked to reconsider their plans.
The popular islands are a hotspot for many holidaymakers, but renowned travel guide publisher Fodor has included the archipelago on its 2026 ‘No List’ under ‘destinations to reconsider’.
In the first half of 2025 alone, the islands welcomed 7.8 million visitors and processed more than 27 million airport passengers, a 5% increase over the previous year. It is a record that has locals concerned and questioning how much more their islands can take.
Thousands took to the streets in May to march through Tenerife, Gran Canaria, and Lanzarote under the banner ‘The Canaries have a limit’. Booming tourism, soaring housing costs, and mounting environmental strains are threatening the foundations of their peaceful island lives, according to Fodor.
Founder of sustainability platform CanaryGreen.org, John Dale Beckley, explained, “Residents have started protesting because they’re genuinely fed up. Traffic is one of the biggest issues. What used to be a 40-minute drive from the north can now take well over an hour each way.”
Housing has also become an issue, he said. “The government previously changed regulations that allowed residents to rent out their properties on Airbnb and Booking.com. This has driven up both rental prices and property values. Many young people now find it almost impossible to rent or buy a home.”
“Tenerife has been under an official water emergency, but honestly, on the ground, we’re not feeling a ‘water emergency’ at all. People are still showering, watering gardens, filling swimming pools, everything as normal.
“Buses are overcrowded, traffic jams are constant, and beaches close more often due to pollution and sewage runoff,” John added.
One of Tenerife’s oldest environmental groups, Asociación Tinerfeña de Amigos de la Naturaleza, ATAN, paints a stark picture of the reality. The group said, “We are losing our identity, culture, and, ultimately, our right to exist as a community. Tourism has become unlimited, mass-oriented, and largely low-cost party tourism that doesn’t come to truly discover the islands, but to consume a fake backdrop.”
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