Holiday hotspot 'facing collapse' as too many British tourists visit it

A popular holiday destination could be 'facing collapse' if too many tourists continue to visit, a report has claimed.

It's often the case that tourism boards across the globe are actively trying to encourage holiday-goers to visit their countries.

But with one destination, it's the total opposite.

In fact, due to the 'over-tourism' in the area, officials are concerned that the numbers travelling to the region each year are no longer sustainable.

And it's super popular with Brits.

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The report comes after a record number of visitors travelled to the region last year - a whopping 48 million. And around half of this number were Brits.

Some of the major concerns from locals include long traffic jams and congestion, sewage spillages and environmental issues caused from new hotel complexes and the sheer volume of people on the islands.

Experts at campaign group Ben Magec-Ecologists in Action have now spoken out and are calling for urgent action.

The report reads: "The Canary Islands territory was more than overexploited. We had exceeded the carrying capacity of the territory by seven times, resulting in a scenario of systemic collapse due to the urban development structure.

"Uncontrolled, increase in the non-resident population of European origin, giving rise to completely overcrowded islands in which the generation of waste and the exploitation of resources cause an almost irreversible degradation of our natural ecosystems."

The Canary Islands includes Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro.

The islands are hugely popular thanks to their white sandy beaches, sightseeing opportunities and all-year-round warm temperatures.

Brits especially enjoy escaping the freezing UK winter for the balmy temperatures in the likes of Lanzarote, which are currently sitting in the mid-twenties.

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But it's becoming a huge problem among the communities across the islands.

For example, in Tenerife, campaigners have started demanding an 'eco-tax' for tourists, while 'tourists go home' is a common slogan during protests.

Meanwhile, placards reading 'the Canaries are no longer a paradise' and 'the Canaries are not for sale' could also be seen at recent rallies.

Juan Torres, the head of Gran Canarias Architects' College, has emphasised that small changes will not be enough.

He said: "On an urban planning and architectural level, we could not remain with mere cosmetic operations. We had to take the right steps so that we all join in the improvement plans, which were really needed in the Canary Islands."