Canary Island issues 'critical tipping point' warning at popular hotspot

One of the Canary Island's most beloved destinations is 'spiralling' into chaos - and tourists are taking the blame. Last year, around three million visitors flocked to - a UNESCO World Heritage site home to the eponymously named Teide-Pico Viejo stratovolcano.

Whether you want to hike through Mars-like landscape, scramble up the 3,718m peak (the highest in all of Spain) to admire some breathtaking views, or want to take the cable car up to the top at night for some out-of-this-world star gazing - there really is something for everyone. It's no surprise the area is one of the most visited.

But, its insatiable popularity is now sparking concern among environmentalists who are demanding change. It comes as tourists have been accused of rowdy behaviour including parking vehicles illegally, straying from marked trails, climbing upon 'fragile' rock formations and even taking volcanic stones from the national park as a souvenir.

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Jaime Coello, director of the Telesforo Bravo–Juan Coello Foundation, reportedly branded the behaviour as 'a disgrace' and warned the situation had reached a 'critical tipping point'. According to , he said: "If this is the crown jewel of our protected areas, imagine the state of the rest. Most are just as bad, or worse.

"The problem is not just the number of visitors, but the absence of any real will to protect this place. There's no one willing to enforce the rules or fix this disaster."

Jaime blasted the Tenerife government for 'favouring' mass tourism over environmental conservation - arguing the park is in a 'state of near-collapse'. The environmentalist added that images of unruly tourists are evidence of a 'perfect storm' of both over-tourism and 'mismanagement'.

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The warning comes amid escalating anti-tourist sentiment across Spain, as fed-up locals continue to berate sun-worshipping Brits for ruining their homeland and pricing them out of the property market. Last year, protests erupted across the country - with thousands of residents taking to the streets: armed with placards demanding tourists to 'go home'.

While new legislation to curb over-tourism, including , has already been implemented - the housing crisis continues to spark tensions between tourists and locals. In Tenerife, anti-tourist sentiment recently took a dark turn after holidaymakers spotted a . Reports that anonymous activists had gone as far as setting fire to rental cars on the island also garnered global media attention earlier this year.

The Mirror has approached the Cabildo of Tenerife for comment.

Has anti-tourist sentiment put you off from visiting the Canary Islands? Email liam.gilliver@reachplc.com for a chance to share your story