Spanish islands fear Brits won't return as tourists are dealt another blow

Anger is mounting in Spain'sholiday hotspots thanks to a rate hike that will directly impact tourists.

Locations such as theCanary Islands, which include Tenerife, Lanzarote and Gran Canaria, and the Balearics, with Majorca, Menorca and Ibiza, are said to be on a "war footing" against the increases in airport charges levied by AENA, which runs most of the major airports in Spain.

The organisation has refused to budge over the 6.5 per cent rise despite huge opposition from Spanish resorts. Hospitality chiefs in the Spanish destinations have warned ticket prices will rise as a result of the 6.5 per cent hike. They argue that it is coming at a particularly bad time, given the lengthy overtourism protests that have targeted major resorts in recent years.

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Hospitality industry leaders are sounding the alarm bell about visitor numbers. Some locals in Majorca have claimed that certain resorts are "completely dead". Restaurant association president, Juanmi Ferrer, has warned that the protests are "scaring visitors away", while Miguel Pérez‑Marsá, head of the nightlife association, sounded a similar alarm. He told the Majorca Daily Bulletin: "The tourists we're interested in are being driven away; they don't feel welcome and are going to other destinations."

Biel Rosales, who runs excursion provider Proguies Turístics, said activity had been cut in half this summer, blaming the protests as well as rising prices. "Tourismphobia and the idea that tourists are not welcome are hurting us greatly," he said.

The cooling effect has also been felt in the taxi ranks. Biel Moragues, who works in one of the island's taxi associations, told Mail Online: "British tourists are the most upset by the protests and have changed their holiday destination."

The Canary Islands want to be exempt from the airport fee increase, saying higher ticket prices will hit their main markets, led by the Brits, very hard. AENA's board of directors approved the airport charges for 2026 yesterday and reaction from holiday resorts was instant.

The authority, which manages Spain's airfield network, refused to budge from the plan announced weeks ago, despite public opposition from airlines and, in particular, from the Canary Islands and Balearic Islands governments.

President of the Association of Airlines (ALA), Javier Gándara, said the increase was "excessive". AENA taxes are one of the factors that determine airline ticket prices, so any increase in these taxes ultimately translates into higher flight prices.

Airlines currently pay an average fare of €10.35 per passenger. Starting in 2026, once the 6.5% increase is applied, this tax will rise to a maximum of €11.03, or €0.68 more per passenger. The authorities in Tenerife are to challenge the increase and are urging the Spanish government to exclude the Canary Islands from the 6.5% airport tax increase planned by AENA for 2026.