August 2024
Almost 70% of Canary Islanders think that tourism is beneficial because it attracts necessary investments for the islands, but at the same time it generates an increase in the cost of living. These data are taken from the tourism module of the Survey of Socioeconomic Habits and Confidence (ECOSOC) published by the Canary Islands Statistics Institute (ISTAC).
In the second quarter of 2024, ECOSOC studied the resident population’s perception of the development of tourist activity in the Canary Islands. Four aspects are considered: economic, social, cultural and environmental.
Most people believe that tourism contributes to economic development, attracts investment and increases the consumption of local products. However, there is also a perception among a large part of the population that tourism increases the price of housing and the cost of living in general. Moreover, they consider that it generates precarious employment.
The vast majority agree with the positive economic aspects associated with tourism, but to the same extent they agree with some of the negative economic consequences it causes. For example, 3 out of 4 people think that tourism contributes to economic development, but makes the price of rental and sale housing more expensive.
62% believe that tourism generates precarious employment, compared to 20% who believe that it does not. More than half of the population considers that tourism contributes to the consumption of local products.
Social aspect of tourism
Just over half of the resident population considers that the development of tourism has social benefits. The contribution to creating a more tolerant society (56%), improving the prestige and image of the municipality of residence (53.2%) and helping to improve infrastructure (55.7%). However, around a quarter of the population do not agree with any of these three social benefits.
As for the social cost of tourism, 63.3% of those consulted consider that it causes changes of residence among the local population, while 20.8% disagree.
Opinion is more polarised on other social costs. Some 44.5% of people agree that tourism contributes to the collapse of health services, while 34.2% disagree with this statement. Tourism causes tensions between residents and tourists for 44.6 per cent of Canary Islanders. 35.9% do not believe this statement to be true.
The greatest discrepancy of opinion was observed in the improvement of services in the area of residence, with 41.6 per cent of people agreeing with such an improvement, while 36 per cent disagreed.
8 out of 10 Canary Islanders consider that tourism allows them to interact with people from other places. For 72.7%, it favours the exchange and understanding of cultures. As for the statement that tourism contributes to maintaining culture and traditions, 44.7% agree and 36.8% are against.
As for the supply of cultural events, 57% perceive that tourism contributes to increasing it, compared to 25% who do not. Just over half of the resident population (51.7%) agreed that tourism helps to conserve and enhance the value of monuments, while 30% disagreed.
More than half of the Canary Islanders consider that tourism has some negative consequences for the environment, such as increased consumption of water, energy or land (62.1%). 60.9% say that tourism generates too much waste and pollution and that it harms traffic and mobility (56.2%). On the other hand, ecosystems are also perceived to be irreparably damaged by tourism (57.1%).
Most people disagree with the statement that tourism helps to conserve natural areas. Nor do they agree that tourism has sustainable practices that protect the environment.
Tourist tax and holiday homes
43% believe that a tourist tax should be levied on visitors to the island depending on the number of days of accommodation, while 24% do not think so. Doubts and uncertainty as to whether they should pay the tourist tax were expressed by 28.5% and 4.3% did not wish to express their opinion on this issue.
83% of Canary Islands residents aged 18 and over were against the fact that people living in the Canary Islands should have to pay the tourist tax during their holidays in accommodation on the islands. Only 14.5% were in favour and 2.5% did not wish to give an answer.
La regulación específica de la vivienda vacacional se encuentra entre las funciones o servicios de la Administración pública relacionadas con el turismo con menor porcentaje de valoraciones positivas. Por islas, llega a tener porcentajes de hasta el 60% de valoraciones negativas en Lanzarote y Fuerteventura, y sobrepasando el 50% en las áreas metropolitanas de Gran Canaria y de Tenerife y en el sur de Tenerife.
Con poco margen, lo peor valorado en el norte de Tenerife fue la regulación general de las actividades turísticas y en La Gomera la ordenación urbanística relacionada con el turismo. En ambos casos el tema de la vivienda vacacional aparece como el segundo parámetro peor valorado.
More information: ISTAC