Anti-tourism protesters dealt huge blow as Canary Islands airports smash passenger record

The Canary Islands had a record-breaking summer in terms of air traffic and passenger numbers despite the massive wave of anti-tourism protests sweeping through the archipelago, with AENA-managed airports handling over 32 million passengers in August 2024 alone. This is a 4.4 percent increase compared to the same period in 2023.

Among the standout performers were the airports of Lanzarote, Tenerife North, Gran Canaria and El Hierro, all setting historic passenger records.

Between June and August, Spanish airports welcomed 93.5 million passengers, an 8.5 percent rise from 2023. Since the start of the year, over 208 million passengers travelled through these airports, reflecting a 10.1 percent growth year-on-year, according to the Canarian Weekly. 

Gran Canaria specifically received 1.2 million passengers in August, a 7.8 percent increase, while Tenerife Sur saw a 14.7 percent surge with over one million passengers. 

The Canary Islands airports also saw a rise in flight operations. In August, Gran Canaria handled 11,216 flights, a 6.3 percent increase, while Tenerife North and El Hierro saw record numbers of flights, driven by growing demand for travel to and from the islands. 

Both international and domestic tourism played key roles in this increase. Of the 32 million commercial passengers in Spain during August, 22.5 million - over 70 percent - were on international flights, up 9.6 percent from the previous year. This has helped solidify the Canary Islands as one of Europe’s premier holiday destinations.

This success is said to be a key player in the recovery and growth of Spain’s tourism sector, the Canarian Weekly argued. 

Not all residents of the Canary Islands will welcome this news or celebrate its benefits, however. The summer of 2024 has seen multiple protests in Spain, including tens of thousands in Santa Cruz de Tenerife who rallied against a model of mass tourism they say is overwhelming the Atlantic archipelago in April. 

They demanded limits on tourist numbers and curves on what they described as uncontrolled development which is harmful for the environment and residents. They held signs that read “Tourist - respect my land!” and “Canaries have a limit”.  They also staged a hunger strike. 

Locals said that the influx is pushing up housing prices, making it difficult for them to find affordable long-term accommodation. Some have even been forced to live in cars or tents.