All dressed up and nowhere to go! Will midnight closing have a negative effect on tourism?

There is a situation occurring every night in the south of Tenerife, whereas tourists are coming to the island to party and finding there is nowhere to go after midnight, as due to current restrictions bars have to close at 12 o’clock and police are deployed in leisure areas and beaches of tourist towns to ensure that this is being complied with.

Every night frustrated partygoers in Adeje and Arona are heading to Troya and Las Vistas beaches, as usually the youngsters only start going out at midnight when they come here on holiday, and currently, particularly in the UK, they now have less restrictions at home than here.

In a statement, Police say they are moving on approximately 300 people a night from the beaches, as large gatherings or drinking in public are not permitted.

The question has to be asked as to whether this will have a negative effect on tourism now that there are more people flocking to the islands on holiday, and what difference would it actually make if closing time was extended to 2am? What harm are people causing sitting finishing a drink off before they go home at 1am compared to 3pm?

Commercially it would be much better for bars, economically it would be much better for tourism, and health-wise, as long as Covid regulations are being followed, and due to the fact that all tourists have either been vaccinated or presented a negative test result, what difference would an extra two hours make?

Yesterday the SCS confirmed that locally the Canary Islands has reached 80% of the target population with their first jab and 65% fully vaccinated, and the Ministry of Health data shows a downward trend in the incidence of the virus, a trend that is occurring across Europe, especially as the younger generation are now being vaccinated.

Maybe it is time for a change to some of the regulations as the bigger picture is changing, the light at the end of the tunnel is getting brighter, and partygoers want to hear from the Ministry of Sound, not the Ministry of Health!