A recent survey by the Canary Islands Statistics Institute (ISTAC) has reignited the debate over introducing a tourist tax in the region, similar to those already in place in other Spanish regions like Catalonia and the Balearic Islands. According to the Economic Habits and Socioeconomic Confidence Survey (ECOSOC) for the second quarter of 2024, 43% of residents in the Canary Islands support the introduction of such a tax.
The survey explored residents' attitudes towards tourism by asking respondents to agree or disagree with various statements about its impact. While 43% support the idea of a tourist tax, 24% are strongly opposed.
Support for the tax is particularly high in certain areas, including metropolitan Tenerife and Lanzarote, where over 50% of residents back the proposal. Fuerteventura, and northern and southern Tenerife also have higher-than-average support.
Conversely, opposition is strongest in northern Gran Canaria, where 34.1% of residents are against the tax, followed by El Hierro (30.7%) and the metropolitan and southern areas of Gran Canaria.
While nearly 70% of Canary Islanders believe that tourism is beneficial because it attracts essential investments, they are also concerned about its downsides. For instance, rising housing costs and precarious employment conditions are significant worries for many. Around 62% of respondents believe tourism generates unstable jobs, while over half appreciate its role in boosting the consumption of local products.
From a social perspective, slightly more than half of the population recognises tourism’s role in fostering a more tolerant society (56%), enhancing the prestige of local municipalities (53.2%), and improving infrastructure (55.7%).
On the other hand, 44.5% of residents feel that tourism overwhelms healthcare services, and 44.6% believe it causes tensions among residents, though 35.9% disagree with this view.
Tourism's cultural impact is seen in a more positive light. Eight out of ten Canary Islanders feel that tourism allows them to connect with people from other places, and 72.7% say it promotes cultural exchange and understanding.
When it comes to preserving local culture and traditions, opinions are divided: 44.7% agree that tourism helps in this regard, while 36.8% disagree. Additionally, 57% believe that tourism increases the availability of cultural events, though 25% do not share this perspective. About 51.7% of respondents agree that tourism helps conserve and enhance local monuments, while 30% disagree.
A majority of Canary Islanders are increasingly aware of the negative environmental effects of tourism. More than half believe tourism contributes to higher consumption of resources such as water, energy, and land (62.1%). Around 60.9% also feel that tourism creates excessive waste and pollution, and 56.2% think it worsens traffic and mobility issues.
Moreover, 57.1% agree that tourism is causing irreversible damage to the region’s ecosystems. The majority of respondents disagree with the notion that tourism helps protect natural spaces or adopts sustainable practices to safeguard the environment.
This data highlights the growing complexities in balancing the economic and cultural benefits of tourism with the environmental and social challenges it presents to the Canary Islands.
