Fodor's puts Lanzarote, Canary Islands on 2026 No List
Fodor's put lanzarote and the wider Canary Islands on its No List for 2026, citing overtourism and the pressure from rising visitor numbers. The guide said the islands should be reconsidered for travel next year as housing costs, traffic jams and loss of biodiversity worsen.
The Canary Islands Tourism Observatory said 18.4 million people visited the islands in 2025, a new record and almost 3.5% above the previous year. That total helped push the islands onto a list reserved for places Fodor's says travelers should think twice about visiting in 2026.
Canary Islands protests in 2024
Major protests and marches against uncontrolled tourism took place across the Canary Islands in 2024, and reported large-scale demonstrations by worried locals in May 2025. Protesters held banners saying the "Canaries have a limit," while objecting to collapsing infrastructure, lack of affordable housing and struggling water supplies.
The tourism pressure reaches beyond crowded streets and beaches. A Global Water Partnership report recognized historic water shortages across the Canary Islands, while Express reported that monthly rents in key Canarian towns have skyrocketed in recent years.
Fodor's No List 2026
The guide's decision places the Canary Islands alongside other destinations it flagged for 2026, but the island group's scale stands out: the 18.4 million visitor total came after years of mounting local concern. Canarian Weekly reported that non-licensed holiday rentals could make up almost a third of the whole market in the Canary Islands, adding another strain point to housing supply.
The Canary Islands include Tenerife and Fuerteventura, and Tenerife's Mount Teide is the highest point in Spain. For travelers weighing a trip in 2026, the practical takeaway is direct: the islands remain open, but the guide's warning points to a destination where demand has already overtaken what many residents say the islands can absorb.
