Following a string of protests against over-tourism, calls for a visitor tax in the Canary Islands continue to intensify. Last month, the coastal town of Mogan, in , implemented a small fee of €0.15 per person, per day to help support public services negatively impacted by tourism - and to fund projects focused on sustainability and conservation.

The move sparked political debate amongst government officials, with many opposing the initiative and demanding a regional-level tax in introduced through Parliament instead. But even tourists' opinion on the matter is now shifting, with data from the Tourist Spending Survey by the Canary Islands Institute of Statistics (ISTAC) stating three out of four holidaymakers would accept a tourist tax, with the majority willing to fork out €1 or €2 per day.

According to local media, the Nueva Canarias (NC) predict that a could generate a whopping €250 million (£207 million) per year. In 2024, a staggering 18 million visitors flocked to the hotspot, despite locals taking to the streets with the slogan 'We want to be hosts, not slaves'.

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However, how tourist tax revenue would be spent remains unclear. The NC party argue the money generated should be reserved for sustainable tourism and environmental projects. "The tax would have a specific purpose, with funds directed towards improving the tourism sector and preserving the region's natural heritage," an NC spokesperson said, according to .

However, the Canary Islands Government - which is currently led by Coalición Canaria (CC) and the Partido Popular (PP) - has opposed the idea, arguing it would be difficult to distinguish between tourists and local residents. It is believed CC were considering a tourist tax prior to protests that erupted across the archipelago last year, but later ruled out implementing such a levy.

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Even if a tourist tax isn't introduced across all of the islands, it's clear reform is coming. Earlier this month, asking citizens for their opinion on the island's tourism model. The 11-question survey will remain open until the end of the month (February 28) and has resulted in calls for a moratorium on new hotel and holiday accommodation developments.

As , other suggestions include large-scale projects to help preserve the island's natural landscapes and to U-turn on developments that 'destroy the island' - as well as shifting the prioritisation over to locals, rather than tourists. No hotel ban has been implemented yet, and it is not clear whether such a rule would only be in place for a temporary period of time.

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