Brit brutally slams tourists in Lanzarote for ‘ruining’ the island with romantic trend

Lanzarote is best-known for its year-round warm weather, beaches and volcanic landscape but one local has slammed tourists for continuing an age-old romatic trend that’s ‘ruining’ the island

A Brit who moved to Lanzarote has slammed tourists for “ruining” the island and has urged holidaymakers to stop making the issue worse.

Lanzarote welcomed around 1.4 million international tourists between January and May 2025 – an increase of 46,188 compared to the same timeframe in 2024. With the UK taking the first place, other visitors come from countries such as the Netherlands, Italy, Ireland, France, Belgium, Germany, of course, Spain.

Despite widespread protests, the Canary Islands have seen a surge in visitor numbers, according to data from the Canary Islands National Statistics Institute (INE).

Locals have voiced concerns about the negative effects of mass tourism, including rising living and housing costs, strained infrastructure, loss of cultural identity, and overcrowding. Euro News reports that the islands welcomed 4.36 million international tourists in the first quarter of 2025, marking a 2.1% increase compared to the same period last year.

Lanzarote, one of the Canary islands off the coast of West Africa, is best- known for its year-round warm weather, beaches and volcanic landscape.

David Gainford, better known online as Mr TravelON, is now based in the Canary Islands and has shared his thoughts on tourism in the region. He just released a new video exposing a growing environmental issue in Lanzarote he says no one seems to be talking about: the ‘love lock explosion’.

Speaking to the MailOnline he said: “Lanzarote – a paradise to visit. Beautiful sunrises, a romantic place that maybe you can spend with your partner. It’s a great way to show how you love each other. What is not a great way to show love is love locks. It’s time that I made a stand on these. It’s essentially vandalism.”

“It really is getting beyond a joke,” David said. “Lanzarote is a beautiful place, but it’s now being ruined by this.”

Love locks are popular across the world and are a romantic gesture to show a couple’s real love by using real locks. Padlocks are attached to railings by people wishing to show their love for each other. Typically, a couple’s names or initials, and the date, are inscribed on the padlock, and its key is thrown away to symbolise unbreakable love

David says that local shops are now selling plastic locks and permanent markers encouraging tourists to tag Lanzarote. But he believes it’s having a negative impact on the island.

David explains: “Somebody has had the idea that this could be a cash cow, and they’re cashing in by selling plastic love locks. They’re horrible. All they do is fade and rust.

“This is plastic pollution at its highest. I’m asking the environmentalists – are you going to tackle the problem that is staring you right in the face?” He added: “‘It needs to stop, and it needs to stop now.”

For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.