Spain could face a drop in tourist numbers from the UK after the price of some flights to the country rose by 30 percent.
According to research conducted by Mabrian Technologies, prices are set to rise on popular budget carriers Ryanair, easyJet and Jet2.
They said that the low-cost routes, which make up around 68 percent of seats to places in mainland Spain and the Canary Islands, are the reason why the cost of flights could rise.
The research comes weeks after a series of protests in the Canary Islands over the number of tourists visiting the popular region.
Furthermore, the research found that on average, the price of a ticket from the UK to Spain has increased by 31.3 percent to an average of £180.22 (€210).
Speaking to Canarian Weekly about the research, Marketing and Communications Director of Mabrian Carlos Cendra said: “The price increase we are witnessing reflects, on one hand, the rising operational costs of airlines and, on the other hand, the growing demand to and from Spain for this summer season.”
This summer, towns and cities around Spain are expecting another wave of tourists from Britain making the journey over for their summer holidays.
While the economic benefit of British tourists has been welcome, the sheer number of visitors has sent tensions skyrocketing as local authorities try to strike the right balance.
On the island of Tenerife, this resulted in tens of thousands of people marching against tourism through the island’s capital Santa Cruz.
Locals marched through the city with banners and signs expressing their displeasure at the impact of tourism on the island. One banner simply said: “You Enjoy, We Suffer.”
The demonstrations in Santa Cruz weren’t isolated as protests took place in Gran Canaria, La Palma, and Lanzarote.
Speaking to Express.co.uk about why people had taken to the streets, activist Jaime Quintero, 21, said: “We are not against tourism, but every nook and cranny is being taken over.
“We want to change it to make it more sustainable. When I visit beaches they are filled with rubbish it makes me sad. We want to address the misconception that we don’t want tourists.
“We are here to change tourism. This island is beautiful and if we don’t protect it there will be nothing for the tourists to see.”
