The sun-drenched Canary Islands, a perennial favourite for British holidaymakers seeking year-round warmth, have found themselves on a prominent travel advisory list for the second year running. The influential guidebook publisher Fodor's Travel has included the Spanish archipelago in its 2026 'No List', citing severe pressures from mass tourism on local communities and the environment.
Why the Canary Islands Need a 'Breather'
Fodor's clarified that its list is not a call for a boycott, but rather a "gentle but pointed nudge" to encourage travellers to ease up on destinations that clearly need respite. The publication aims to highlight places where tourism is creating unsustainable burdens. For the Canary Islands, the issues are multifaceted and deeply felt by residents.
The scale of tourism is staggering. In the first half of 2025 alone, the islands welcomed a record 7.8 million visitors and processed over 27 million airport passengers, a five per cent increase from the previous year. While tourism fuels more than a third of the region's GDP and employs around 40% of its population, Fodor's notes that "success comes at a price."
Local Anger and the Real Cost of Tourism
In recent years, visible resident frustration has boiled over into protests across Tenerife, Lanzarote, Gran Canaria, and other islands. The slogan 'Tourists go home' has been graffitied on walls, encapsulating local sentiment. The core grievances are sharply focused on the housing market and environmental degradation.
Locals squarely blame the proliferation of holiday lets for driving up rental and purchase prices, making housing increasingly unaffordable for residents. Furthermore, the strain on infrastructure, from congested roads to water scarcity, coupled with damage to fragile natural ecosystems, has created a potent backlash. "For many Canarians, tourism is both a lifeline and a burden," Fodor's observes, adding that locals often see little of the financial benefit from visitor spending.
A Wider Trend and What Comes Next
The Canary Islands are not alone. Fodor's 2026 'No List' also features destinations like Antarctica, Glacier National Park in the USA, and Montmartre in Paris, all facing similar pressures of overtourism or fragile ecosystems. Notably, while other Spanish hotspots like Barcelona and Majorca featured on last year's list, they are absent this time. Fodor's stresses this doesn't mean their problems are solved, but aims to shift focus to other areas in critical need.
The guide warns that the combination of rising visitor numbers and a warming climate is unsustainable for the islands. The inclusion on the list for 2026 serves as a stark reminder that the search for the perfect holiday destination must increasingly balance enjoyment with ethical and environmental responsibility, giving over-loved places the chance to recover.
