Tenerife island in the shadow of its own success, balances between a tourist paradise and a homeland for a displaced population.
I watch with heavy heart. Each morning, as I feel the warm tiles of my balcony beneath my feet, I see them pass by. Not the locals, but the tourists carrying their invisible backpacks filled with money and unrestricted access. And this on the island that seems less and less to belong to its original inhabitants. Tenerife island in the shadow.
A Fading Memory
Tenerife, the island of eternal spring, is a paradise for many. For foreign visitors, it’s sun, sea, and carefree days. For real estate investors, it’s a goldmine in the middle of the ocean. For rental platforms like Airbnb and Booking, it’s a map with dollar signs. And for the original residents? A memory of a home fading into the sand of beaches where they once played, now adorned with signs reading: Private – Guests Only.
Fundamentally Skewed
Long ago, the villages on Tenerife were small and lively. People knew each other, the scent of gofio and potaje wafted through the streets, children played between fields not yet consumed by gated communities. Today, those villages are called resorts, exclusive urbanizations, golf parks with English names, where the reception greets you with an accent as if the island never spoke Spanish or had Guanche roots. The supermarket sells cheddar instead of queso tierno. And if you ask for a cortado in Spanish at a terrace, you receive a confused look. Or worse: an English menu.
Tourists as Main Characters
Young people are being pushed out of their villages. Rent prices are skyrocketing because it’s more lucrative to rent to tourists per day than to a local family per month. Permanent jobs are replaced by temporary contracts in hospitality. Housing, dignity, future prospects—it seems reserved for those who come from elsewhere. Meanwhile, we pat ourselves on the back with impressive tourism growth figures, while our roots are invisibly uprooted.
Essential Tourism
That’s where the tragedy lies. The island breathes tourism. Over 35% of the gross domestic product is linked to it. Infrastructure, employment, healthcare—they rely on the influx of sun-seekers who keep the island running. Without them, our cities would look different. Empty, perhaps. Dilapidated, who knows. We can’t do without them. But can we still coexist with them? The solution, as often, doesn’t lie in resisting change but in seeking balance. We don’t need to renounce tourism; we need to ‘tame’ it with a strong sense of responsibility.
What If…?
What if the government set limits on the purchase of homes by foreign investors? If there were rules regulating rent prices and protecting housing for residents? If tourist taxes weren’t just a marketing gimmick but a fund flowing back into social housing and sustainable mobility? What if education invested in young people wanting to become local guides, without having to bluff in English to be heard?
What if we finally listened to that old woman in Arico who lost her ocean view due to a hotel complex? To the fishermen in Los Cristianos who had to give up their pier for a foreign tourist’s yacht? What if their stories were as valuable as a TripAdvisor review?
Sunset
Tenerife must not become the errand boy for real estate funds from Belgium, Germany, or Luxembourg. The island is not a card in a Monopoly game, not a backdrop for Instagram influencers. Tenerfeños form a living community. They have the right not to lose their identity in a sea of all-inclusives and saltless pools.
There are ways to reconcile both worlds. Ecotourism. Cultural routes. Truly local markets. Policies prioritizing local residents over returns. But that requires vision. Courage. And love.
Until then, we keep watching. With heavy hearts, yes. But not without hope. Because deep down, every Tinerfeño knows: this island is strong. It has survived volcanoes, pirates, dictators, crises. Perhaps it will even survive its own popularity. But let’s hope it doesn’t survive without its people. Because an island without its soul is just a beautiful sunset. For someone else.
Guy Devos © Photography
Tenerife island in the shadow ©
More TRIVIA can be read [HERE].
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