A Broken Record of Overcrowding
On August 15th, a major public holiday in Spain and the day of the Candelaria festival in Tenerife, the news outlet Canarias Ahora reported on the complete gridlock in many areas of Las Cañadas del Teide. The scene was one of chaos: a massive presence of off-road vehicles, illegally parked cars, motorbikes, and people walking recklessly along the road and its edges to take risky photos. The sounds were utterly inappropriate for a UNESCO World Heritage site, with overcrowding making some areas impassable and dangerous U-turn maneuvers becoming commonplace.
A Problem on Any Given Day
The initial report was widely shared and quickly followed by announcements of future measures to control the situation. However, the problem is not confined to holidays. On Wednesday, September 24th—an ordinary, non-festive weekday at 8:00 PM—the scene was just as bad, if not worse. The same atrocities were on display, with the shocking addition of people urinating on the roadside, showing a complete disregard for public decency, civic respect, and one of the world’s most iconic national parks.
Irresponsible Tourism Operators
As witnesses of the August 15th collapse told this newspaper, many of the companies running these off-road excursions show little to no respect for a place like Teide National Park. According to these accounts, most of these businesses are run by Italians or Englishmen with a blatant disregard for the environment. While their nationality is less important than their actions, the critical issue is the lasting impact they leave on Las Cañadas del Teide every single day of the week. Previous announcements and proposed measures have done little to prevent the damage.
A Decades-Old Concern Intensifies
This is a concern that has been growing for decades, but the situation is now escalating. Videos sent to this newspaper show off-road vehicle safaris with up to twelve vehicles parked along one of the straight roads in Las Cañadas to watch the sunset over the sea of clouds. Right beside them, several members of the expedition are seen relieving themselves while passing motorists record them, either knowingly or unknowingly.
A Scene of Utter Chaos
A little further on, a collection of motorbikes causes a traffic jam on the shoulder, while other badly parked vehicles accumulate. The number of quads multiplies, and reckless visitors cross the roads with little apparent concern for the risk of being hit by a car. The overwhelming feeling for anyone who witnesses this “spectacle” is one of sheer chaos and profound insensitivity.
Alarms Ringing with No Answer
The events of August 15th set off all the alarms because, according to numerous witnesses, the situation was unprecedented. Yet, on Wednesday the 24th, an ordinary weekday, the scene was almost identical. The announcements of solutions, however, continue to come, and come, and come, with no tangible change in sight.
