Due to the multifarious reactions that followed the article on “Bad tourism in Tenerife” and “Changes in South Tenerife“, I have decided to put some questions to an Ex- British Tourist Guide who has been living in Tenerife since 1971.


1. Where are you from and what is your experience in Tourism? I am from Britain. During the 70s and 80s of the 20th century I worked as a tour guide and transfer rep., for the British Airways companies Enterprise and Flair. I must remain nameless.
2. What is your current job? I am retired, not surprisingly.
3. How long have you been in Tenerife? Since December, 1971.
4. Have you worked in the South of Tenerife? Only in the sense that I had to work in the South Airport (Reina Sofía) twice a week, collecting arrivals and escorting them by coach to their hotels, apartments etc., in the north.
5. What kind of problems do you see in the south regarding tourism? There is little wrong with the superstructure of tourism in the south. The towns cooperate well with the tourist companies and hotels, aparthotels etc. But there are three serious problems: drunkenness, loutishness and irresponsibility. The first two arise like a stinking cloud from the younger tourists themselves, British and Irish mostly, though plenty of Peninsulares, if young, create havoc with over-drinking and drugging. The third, irresponsibility, rests entirely with the authorities. Neither the Canary Island Government, nor the authorities, police force etc. of any of the great southern towns – Arona, Adeje, Arico, Granadilla, Candelaria etc. could give a damn about the ever-increasing curse of drunkenness. In Playa de las Américas, for example, a street cleaner told me all the cleaners spend half their working morning everyday, especially at weekends, cleaning up vomit from the streets. The south of Tenerife is rapidly acquiring a foul reputation for binge drinking, and violence done to other tourists as a result. This is not an exaggeration – it is a fact.
6. Have you heard about John Palmer, the famous Brit who made the south as it is…? I have met John Palmer yes. I am not sure I agree with the term ‘the famous Brit who made the south as it is’ . . . John Palmer owned many of the entertainments in the south, and was involved in the Time-Share phenomenon – south AND north. But the southern development, however you see it, was the responsibility of the package tour companies working hand-in-glove with the airlines and local authorities. They decided (as they did in the north in the 70s and 80s) to diminish the appeal of Tenerife as a rather classy, beautiful island for middle class tourism in decent hotels and starry restaurants – and replaced the high class appeal with the very worst of ultra-cheap tourism for the masses. The results of this policy are to be seen everywhere on the island now. The authorities made a very bad mistake, because Tenerife could easily have become a Monaco, a Nice, even a sparkling Greek or Italian island. Instead it became a worst-case Butlins Holiday Camp, the tourists wolfing cheap food for which they pay practically nothing, and sip sip sip all day. Then everybody out (if we are lucky) for a nice vomit and let someone else clear up the mess.
7. What could we do to the south to save it? Perfectly simple, and not expensive: close all drinking haunts, bars etc. by order (and enforce it) at one hour after midnight. Do not permit any business to sell alcohol after this hour. Increase the towns’ mobile police forces by hook or by crook, and send more police officers out on street patrol in threes. Zero tolerance. Encourage owners of failing or failed hotels to convert them into luxury flats. They will have no difficulty in selling them, as Europe is still packed full of very rich people who would give up their remaining teeth to own a decent flat in Tenerife. Smarten up the towns and beach approaches by getting rid of the dreadful grey paint or tiles so beloved by the authorities, and painting everything is bright colours.