Over 60,000 people demand cancellation of controversial ‘Underwater Gardens’ tourist project in Tenerife
More than 60,000 people have signed a petition calling for the immediate cancellation of the “Underwater Gardens” mega tourist project planned for the coast of Guía de Isora, in southwest Tenerife.
The campaign, launched by the platform Salvar Punta Blanca, a coalition of over 30 environmental, community, cultural, and sports organisations, accuses the promoters of “greenwashing” and demands real protection for the Canary Islands’ coastline.
The online petition, hosted on WeMove Europe, is addressed to Rosa Dávila, President of the Cabildo de Tenerife; developer Marc García-Durán; and European authorities. It urges them to halt what the platform describes as a “false ecological project” that poses a severe threat to one of Tenerife’s most environmentally sensitive areas.
According to Salvar Punta Blanca, the proposed Underwater Gardens Park would occupy more than 10.6 hectares of land in a protected coastal zone, with additional underwater structures located within the Zona de Especial Conservación (ZEC) Franja Marina de Teno-Rasca — the only officially recognised whale sanctuary in the European Union.
Activists argue that the initiative is “a blatant case of greenwashing”, falsely presented as a marine regeneration project when it is in fact “a massive tourist development incompatible with environmental conservation”. They claim it would attract over 3,000 visitors a day, privatising public coastal areas and worsening the ecological and social impact of mass tourism.
The platform, supported by organisations including Greenpeace, ATAN, local surf clubs such as Wave Legends, and numerous neighbourhood associations, has filed formal objections, staged public demonstrations, and collected tens of thousands of signatures to pressure the authorities.
Campaign spokespersons have vowed to continue their actions until the project is permanently scrapped, calling it “an act of ecocide” that contradicts the principles of sustainability.
Environmental groups have also highlighted that the Canary Islands’ coastline is already under severe strain from overdevelopment. A recent Greenpeace report warns that the archipelago faces “a critical situation”, with climate change, erosion, and urban expansion accelerating the loss of beaches and natural habitats.
Salvar Punta Blanca has outlined three main demands:
1. The immediate cancellation of the project by its promoter, Marc García-Durán.
2. A formal commitment from the Cabildo de Tenerife to block the initiative by issuing unfavourable environmental reports.
3. The implementation of real measures for coastal protection, marine conservation, and the expansion of marine reserves, instead of promoting more large-scale tourist complexes.
The controversy surrounding Underwater Gardens continues to grow, becoming one of the most significant environmental debates in the Canary Islands in recent years.
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