The groups Islas de Resistencia and Colectivo Tabaiba have placed handwritten notes on a number of rental cars in Lanzarote as part of a campaign aimed at raising awareness about the impact of tourism and the growth of holiday rentals on the island’s housing market.
The notes, left on vehicle windshields, encourage visitors to consider the effects that accommodation choices can have on local communities. The messages state: “By choosing this holiday home in our village, you are contributing to our displacement. We have nowhere to live. Travel responsibly, don’t be complicit in this business.” The messages were written in both Spanish and English.
According to the groups, the campaign seeks to draw attention to concerns about housing availability, rising property prices, and the increasing number of holiday rentals across the Canary Islands.
A video showing the initiative was published on the organisations’ social media channels on Wednesday and has received thousands of views.
Data from the Canary Islands General Tourism Registry, which is updated daily, shows that Lanzarote currently has 11,005 registered vacation rentals. By comparison, the island had 5,198 vacation rentals in June 2023, indicating significant growth over the past two years.
Housing prices have also continued to rise. Figures from the Lanzarote Data Centre show that the average price per square metre for residential property reached €3,122 in May 2026, compared with €2,822 a year earlier, representing an increase of 10.6%.
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