Popular European holiday destinations have seen a decline in bookings from British tourists amid protests from locals demanding they stay away – but one country is reportedly benefiting. Hospitality bosses fear that the demonstrations are turning Brits off holidaying abroad, with Tenerife in particular affected by a drop in the number of visitors, it is claimed.
Thousands of protesters took to the streets in the Canary Islands to voice their concerns over tourism policies. As a result, the Tenerife hoteliers association has expressed concern about a decline in bookings on the island. Pedro Alfonso, President of the Spanish Confederation of Business Organisations (CEOE) in Tenerife, highlighted a significant drop in hotel reservations during a press conference where he presented the first-quarter 2025 economic report.
Alfonso reported a “slump” in bookings as noted by tourism operators and cautioned that “every small collapse has an echo in trust”. He added “when confidence falls, investment comes to a halt”.
His comments came after the sector was hit by industrial action over Easter. Alfonso urged for a return to “dialogue, trust, and common sense” and warned against turning collective bargaining into a “battleground” as negotiations over the CEOE’s collective agreement stall.
He condemned the unions for not acknowledging what he termed “a gesture of goodwill and commitment”, reports Birmingham Live.
“This is not about making headlines,” he declared, focusing instead on employment, adding: “it’s about safeguarding jobs”.
He remained hopeful for a turnaround “at the last minute”, which could coincide with the start of the peak travel season for UK holidaymakers.
While Spain faces challenges, other destinations like Turkey are reportedly experiencing a surge in popularity among travellers.
Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Ersoy has heralded a tourist influx for Turkey, highlighting a spike in visitors particularly from Russia, Germany, and the UK. “Turkey has become the country with the highest number of early reservations in Germany,” he remarked.
“We aim to welcome over seven million visitors from both Russia and Germany this year. Additionally, we expect 4.8 million visitors from the UK in 2025.”
He also noted other popular holiday spots for Brits such as Greece, Cyprus, and Portugal, maintaining their allure amongst holidaymakers.