The CEO of Jet2 has issued a warning to angry residents of the Canary Islands, telling them to stop playing a "dangerous game" and end the ongoing anti-tourism protests in Spain.
Steve Heapy has warned that tourists could take their custom elsewhere amid turmoil in tourist hotspots.
It comes after a series of protests across Spain's most popular resorts, with anger particularly mounting over mass tourism.
Heapy said that incidents tarnish the region's image and push tourists toward alternative destinations such as Turkey and Morocco "where they feel valued".
There was widespread protests against mass tourism
Getty/PA
He told the International Tourism Trade Fair: "Anti-tourism protests and derogatory comments from local administrations make tourists feel unwelcome. People don't come to the Canaries to be mistreated or to witness protests.
"Not everyone is rich, and many tourists simply want an affordable and relaxing holiday. If they feel unwanted, they'll look elsewhere.
It comes as a new tourist tax for €0.15 (£0.13) per person per day fee applies for visitors staying in hotels, apartments, and holiday homes in the town of Mogan on the Canary Islands.
Heapy said that this tax could set a "dangerous precedent" and potentially deter tourists from visiting in the future.
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Throughout 2024, a large number of anti-tourism protests swooped across SpainGETTYHe added: "Rising taxes drive up the overall cost of holidays, reducing demand. While Mogan's tax is small, it sets a dangerous precedent. Governments need to enforce existing regulations and focus on controlling illegal rentals rather than penalising compliant operators.
"They should also work with airlines and tour operators to promote the Canary Islands in key markets like the UK."
Spain attracted a record 94 million visitors last year, prompting protests in popular destinations such as Barcelona, the Canary Islands and Mallorca, where some locals say tourism has made housing costs too expensive.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said his Socialist Party now plans to raise taxes on holiday rentals so that they pay "like a business".
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez
GETTYThe measure would be based on a new European Union directive on value-added tax for digital platforms, he said. Spanish hotels now pay a reduced 10 per cent VAT rate, which is included in the bill.
Housing has become a major issue in Spain as it struggles to balance promoting tourism, a key driver of its economy, with concerns over high rents due to gentrification and landlords shifting to more lucrative, short-term tourist rentals, especially in urban and coastal areas.
However, Sanchez's minority government faces a constant struggle to pass any bill in a fragmented parliament.
His Socialist Party's housing proposals have drawn criticism from both the right - which labels them as too interventionist - and hard-left allies, who accuse the centrist Socialists of being too tame with abusive landlords.
