#2 Canary Islands - Overtourism and what to do about it

Two alternating perspectives here - José Manuel Sanabria Díaz, Deputy Minister for Tourism and Employment in the Canary Islands, and John Beckley, founder of the non-profit Canary Green. Each share their views on challenges with the current Canarian tourism model, and what can be done about it. José Manuel discusses the policy interventions the government has decided on (and which to avoid), while John talks about his work engaging with local businesses and tourists for some more bottom-up progress.

Resources:

Some facts and figures on tourism in the Canary Islands: https://www.canarianweekly.com/posts/The-Canaries-had-record-tourist-figures-in-2025-but-their-stays-were-shorter-time-and-they-spent-less 

Demands from one group behind the Canarias Tiene Un Limite protests: https://canariaspalante.org/ 

The RegNext programme, supporters: https://www.canarianweekly.com/posts/Landmark-agreement-signed-to-make-tourism-in-the-Canary-Islands-environmentally-friendly 

And detractors: https://www.canariasenpleno.com/en/regnext-or-the-art-of-passing-the-hat-canarias-entrusts-the-health-of-its-islands-to-charity/ 

Proposals to improve worker ownership and democracy at work in Spain: https://reportondemocracyatwork.org/en/the-report/ 

Acknowledgements:

That sweet music you heard was 'Gran Canaria' by Edward Fox & The Animal Kingdom: https://edwardfoxandtak.lnk.to/socialmedia; music video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InF23FmBMoY

Find me at: @inEmmetable (on some platforms, some of the time)