Canary Islands tourist panic as price on sun loungers set to double

For the first time in over two decades, the prices of sunbeds and parasols on the beaches of San Bartolomé de Tirajana on the popular holiday island of Gran Canaria are set to increase. The area's town hall will vote this week to launch the process of adapting the rates, which have remained unchanged since 2002.

Currently, renting a sunbed or parasol in the municipality, which encompasses several popular beach resorts including Maspalomas, Playa del Ingles and San Augustin, costs €2.50 (£2.14). However, under the new proposal, prices could be set to nearly double. However, the local council, led by Yilenia Vega, has argued that even with the increase, the rates remain "highly competitive" compared to both local and national averages.

Under the new proposal, renting a sunbed or parasol in San Bartolomé de Tirajana will cost €4.50 (£3.85). An economic study commissioned by the council initially suggested setting the price at €6 (£5.13), but the final proposal aims for a more moderate rise.

Along with the price increase, the council plans to introduce new optional services, including "Balinese beds" for €15 (£12.84) per day and personal safes for €3 (£2.57) per day. These additions would offer tourists a more premium experience whilst also generating additional revenue.

Not everyone in the local council approves of the price hike, however. The PSOE (Spanish Socialist Workers' Party) has strongly opposed the move, accusing the Canary Island council of prioritising private company profits over public benefit. Spokesperson Conchi Narváez argued that it should be fully municipalised, suggesting that full public management could bring in around €3 million annually, which could be reinvested into better working conditions and equipment for beach staff, reported Canarian Weekly.

Narváez also criticised the current state of the service's vehicles, describing them as embarrassing and environmentally damaging, leaking fluid onto the sand.

However, Deputy Mayor Alejandro Marichal has denied accusations of privatisation, stating: "This is not privatisation; it's indirect management, as it has been for years".

San Bartolomé de Tirajana lies in the southeastern part of Gran Canaria, around 34 miles from the capital, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. In 2024, the island as a whole saw nearly four million international tourists and an additional 550,000 domestic visitors from mainland Spain. This was Gran Canaria's highest ever number of tourist arrivals, exceeding the previous record of 4.5 million set in 2017.

The so-called sunbed wars across Europe have struck once again, with badly behaved tourists caught on camera going to extreme lengths to claim the best spot by their hotel pools. In Tenerife, holidaymakers were caught trying to reserve space on the floor before the loungers were even put out. Meanwhile, in Majorca, new estimates last September have suggested that space for sunloungers on the popular Cala Major beach have increased by over 20% in the past five years.