Tourists have been slammed as being a “disgrace” for harming one of Europe’s most visited national parks. Located in the heart of Tenerife sits Teide National Park, UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Spain’s most iconic landmarks.
Flocks of tourists make their way to landmarks every day to enjoy unparalleled panoramic views of the surrounding island and the Atlantic Ocean. Tenerife’s tourist board says that the Teide National Park is the most visited national park in Europe, welcoming over four million in 2022, a growth of 40% since 1996. However, a Canary Islands environmentalist group believes the park is becoming a victim of its own success.
Telesforo Bravo–Juan Coello Foundation, a Canarian environmentalist and scientific group, has criticised tourists for straying off marked trails, climbing fragile rock formations, and even removing volcanic stones to take home as souvenirs.
Tourists in their masses are also causing heavy congestion in the area – disrupting locals and hundreds of vehicles park illegally. It also suffers the arrival of approximately 500,000 cars a year.
To Mr Coello these scenes are a “perfect storm” of mismanagement and overtourism.
Writing in a social media post on Sunday, 13 April he said: “This is a scandal and a disgrace.
“If this is the crown jewel of our protected areas, imagine the state of the rest. Most are just as bad, or worse.”
Mr Bravo called out the Cabildo de Tenerife (Tenerife Island Council) for continuing “to allow and promote the massification and destruction of what they themselves call, ‘the crown jewel of the protected natural spaces of Tenerife’.”
Mr Bravo also posted pictures and videos of a car park of visitors, people seen climbing up the volcanic rock formations and taking pictures, and a woman appearing to pick up stones.
The environmentalist believes the most concerning problem is the lack of rule enforcement, leaving the landscape vulnerable to irreversible damage.
He said: “The problem is not just the number of visitors but the absence of any real will to protect this place. There’s no one willing to enforce the rules or fix this disaster.”