The Socialist Party (PSOE) of Lanzarote is urging the island’s Cabildo to propose a legislative moratorium on new tourism developments, citing mounting concerns over what it describes as the island’s "unsustainable" level of tourism pressure.
The proposal, which will be brought before the Cabildo during its next plenary session on 1 April, calls for the suspension of all new tourism-related projects and installations. The PSOE argues that this measure is urgently needed to address the rapid and unregulated growth of tourism on the island.
The party bases its position on a study conducted by Gaia Consultores on Lanzarote’s tourism carrying capacity, which was publicly presented in May 2023 under the presidency of María Dolores Corujo. According to the report, Lanzarote has significantly exceeded its sustainable tourism limits.
Ariagona González, spokesperson for the PSOE in the Cabildo, highlighted the severity of the situation: “The equivalent tourist population has grown by 21% in just two years. We now have over 86,000 people effectively residing on the island every day, which places immense strain on our resources, infrastructure, and land.”
González emphasised that although some attempted to discredit the study when it was released, the continuous rise in tourist numbers since then has reinforced its findings. “Rather than causing alarm, the report has opened the door to a much-needed debate—despite efforts to suppress it. The data is clear, objective, and based on official sources,” she stated.
The PSOE insists that decisive and immediate action is required. González criticised the current island government, led by Oswaldo Betancort of the Canary Coalition (CC), for failing to act. She rejected claims that legal constraints prevent the Cabildo from suspending tourism licences.
“If they lack the courage to take responsibility, then they should allow the Canary Islands Parliament to act,” said González. “We demand that the Cabildo use its right to propose a legislative initiative to establish a moratorium on new tourism developments and expansions, to put an end to uncontrolled growth.”
The motion also warns against using the ongoing revision of the Island Spatial Plan (PIO) as an excuse for inaction. “We know these plans can take years, they’re often subject to legal challenges, and in the meantime, licences continue to be granted—shaping the future of our territory irreversibly,” González concluded.
The proposal reflects growing local unease over the environmental and social impacts of mass tourism, a subject of increasing relevance across the Canary Islands.
