Britons are ditching holidays in Tenerife as tensions with locals rise and EU rules take hold

British holidaymakers are scrapping their Tenerife escapes due to changes in EU rules and rising flight costs, which have led to Scots abandoning trips to the Canary Islands.

In recent months, tensions between local Tenerife residents and foreign tourists have escalated, culminating in a massive anti-tourism demonstration in Santa Cruz last weekend, which drew international attention from around 120,000 demonstrators.

Scottish pub manager Lisa Robertson, who runs Jags Bar in Playa de las Americas, reveals that Brits who split their time between Spain and Britain are already leaving due to post-Brexit rules. These regulations require British nationals to leave Spain after a three-month stay, forcing people with properties in both countries to travel back and forth more frequently, causing significant economic pressure.

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As Lisa, who has lived in Tenerife for almost 14 years, told Express: “I know at least four people who have sold their homes here because they can’t get out as often as they used to,” adding:

“There is one couple in particular who spent eight months (in the Canary Islands) and then six months in Scotland. But because they can only stay for 90 days, they have just sold their holiday home,” reports the Daily Record.

Jags Bar, a Scottish haven on Tenerife known for its Tennent’s lager and live horse racing from Ayr, has seen better days. Lisa, a local, has noticed a sharp decline in the number of Scots visiting this beloved spot.

“I knew a lot of people who came to Tenerife for months and were here every night. I haven’t seen them (since the rules changed). There are a lot of people like that. It’s quite difficult,” she shared with a hint of sadness.

Lisa also highlighted the staffing issues facing British bars on the island: “It’s also affecting staffing levels. If you speak to any British bar on the island they’re screaming for staff.”

In a surprising twist, the clientele in many British pubs in Tenerife are now predominantly older due to new post-Brexit laws that limit younger Brits without citizenship or existing work rights in Spain to stays of just three months.

“The youngest ones can only come for three months, and only for three months,” said Lisa, expressing her frustration. “I can’t handle them.”

Moreover, rising rents have become a major problem for residents, leading to protests.

“I know families of four who have moved into one-bedroom apartments because it’s cheaper,” Lisa revealed, highlighting the tough choices even locals are making as rents skyrocket, pushing affordability to the limit .