EXCLUSIVE: Lanzarote is sticking to its guns and insists it will cut tourists and stop relying on Brits, despite locals saying the move is hurting the island

The popular Spanish holiday destination Lanzarote is persisting in its bid to ‘saturate’ the island with too many tourists and become less dependent on British visitors.

Island president María Dolores Corujo says the agency does not want to change its mind, citing claims that the new approach is already damaging Lanzarote’s image and that other islands are struggling with the approach.

She also accused opposition councilors from the Partido Popular of intimidation and participating in a “disinformation campaign”.

“We will continue to continue the debate on the limits to growth, even if they try to silence us with fears of damaging Lanzarote’s image,” she stressed.

Ms Corujo’s comments also came as the director of Spain’s UK Tourist Board insisted the country “does not discriminate based on visitor type”.

Manuel Butler told MailOnline that while Spain’s travel industry needs to work together to meet the challenges posed by mass tourism, the country’s main focus is “to become a more sustainable and competitive tourism destination”.

Lanzarote’s island government has yet to release details on how the desaturation will be implemented, but a major holiday hotspot on the island, which is part of the Canary Islands off the coast of north-west Africa, has already begun making plans for its own.

Famara on the northwest coast of Lanzarote is a major tourist hotspot for its natural beauty and sandy beach, attracting surfers from all over the world.

But locals say it is a classic example of saturation, while environmentalists describe it as a “red dot for overtourism” on the island map.

Local residents, entrepreneurs, ecologists, clubs and associations have just held the first in a series of meetings to propose “solutions to overcrowding in parts of the beach” and the city at large.

They were accompanied by the island’s environment minister, Elena Solís.

Discussing the current situation at the resort, the meeting agreed that “Famara is oversaturated, there are too many people, cars and garbage.”

They also agreed that there were too many vehicles, including trailers and campers, and too many cars roaming around looking for parking.

They also mentioned “rude behavior” and the lack of a tourism strategy in the shops, restaurants and surf schools.

Olaya Gracia from Ecologistas en Acción (Ecologists in Action) said that everyone is aware that there is a problem and that it is not about “going against each other”, but about doing things together.

And Desert Watch’s Carmen Portella said: “The situation is unsustainable and getting worse.” And she added: “You have to sacrifice people, not nature, that has been sacrificed enough.”

Ideas to be considered at future meetings include limiting access to the beach road and greater protection of the natural park area.

Lanzarote President Dolores Corujo sparked much controversy last month when she declared that the island was oversaturated and wanted to change its approach to tourism.

María Dolores Corujo, president of the island of Lanzarote (pictured second right), says the authorities do not want to change their minds, citing claims that the new approach is already damaging Lanzarote’s image and that other islands are struggling with the approach.

Lanzarote’s island government has yet to release details of how the desaturation will be carried out, but Famara (photo, file photo) – a holiday hotspot on the island, which is part of the Canary Islands off the coast of northwest Africa – has already done began to prepare his own plans

This attitude, she said, will mean we aim to receive fewer tourists, “with more spending at the destination so they generate more wealth in the economy as a whole” – in other words, attract more luxury tourists.

With more than half of the island’s visitors coming from the UK, it will be necessary to “employ a diversification strategy to reduce dependence on the UK market”.

Therefore, growth was expected in the markets of France, Italy, the Netherlands and the Peninsula, which would directly affect the increase in tourism spending at the destination. Many people thought Lanzarote was tired of having so many British tourists who didn’t spend as much as other nationalities.

Opposition councilors criticized the island’s government, known as the Cabildo, saying the president’s comments were damaging Lanzarote’s tourism image.

Others say “nothing will happen”, as has already been said.

A member of the Podemos Canarias political party said Dolores Corujo was unlikely to be interested in the outrage her comments would provoke, describing it as “an announcement that will change the way we people make a living forever can change.

But the island’s president says opposition parties such as the People’s Party are “sowing fear that doesn’t exist” in the British market as well.

And she said the desaturation plans should be welcomed, not dismissed, as they would enhance, not hinder, the island’s tourism offer.

“The main challenges in Lanzarote are to limit tourism growth in order to stay ahead of a process of deterioration that makes it possible to reduce the supply of accommodation while maintaining and even improving the income of visitors to the island,” he said. .

“The Balearic Islands, the Costa del Sol or Barcelona are constantly in the news for their efforts to limit the growth in the number of vehicles linked to tourism, to rationalize the arrival of cruise ships or to control the growth of holiday rentals without to a reputational crisis in the emission markets.

On the contrary, when a destination makes an effort to preserve itself, it is always good news for its visitors,” says Dolores Corujo.

“We will continue to push the debate on the limits to growth, even if they try to silence us for fear of damaging Lanzarote’s image, and whoever it is, the only viable model must be based on social and environmental sustainability.”

Meanwhile, Manuel Butler, director of the Spanish Tourist Board in the UK, told MailOnline: “Spain is a socially inclusive destination and we do not discriminate based on visitor type. It is true that our travel industries must work together to address the challenges of mass tourism not only in Spain, but around the world, to achieve a more responsible model that reduces the environmental footprint.

“For Spain, our strategy aims to become a more sustainable and competitive tourism destination that addresses seasonal and geographic challenges, supports local industries and jobs, and helps preserve local heritage and culture.

“It is true that some destinations in Spain are taking steps to encourage more responsible tourism behaviour, but ultimately we pride ourselves on being a welcoming country, open to visitors from all backgrounds and walks of life.”

An attempt to turn away ‘budget’ British tourists in search of ‘sposh’ holidaymakers is wreaking havoc on Mallorca and Ibiza residents, who are now being forced to live in vans as prices soar, it was reported on Monday.

Famara (photo, file image) on Lanzarote’s northwest coast is a major tourist hotspot for its natural beauty and sandy beach, attracting surfers from all over the world. But locals say it’s a classic example of saturation, and environmentalists describe it as a “red dot for overtourism” on the island map

Locals in the Balearic Islands said they were wondering how they would “survive” and afford to rent or buy property amid rising prices caused by a shift to luxury tourists who can afford more expensive properties.

“People are now looking at how they can survive,” Rona Pineda (32), who shares a two-bedroom apartment with a couple in Mallorca, told Bloomberg. “If you have a normal salary, it is very difficult to find an apartment these days.”

The comments came after Mallorca’s tourism director Lucia Escribano said last year her industry bosses were “not interested in accepting budget tourists from the UK” – as the island tries to transform itself from a destination for cheap drinks and beach parties by restrictions number of British tourists.

Escribano recently said she had been misquoted and tourism chiefs in Palma insisted they were looking forward to welcoming a record number of Britons.