German travel giant says takes overtourism 'very seriously'

Berlin: German travel giant TUI said Wednesday it takes protests against overtourism, like recent demonstrations in the Canary Islands, very seriously...

Berlin: German travel giant TUI said Wednesday it takes protests against overtourism, like recent demonstrations in the Canary Islands, very seriously, while arguing that its business model was not contributing to the problem.

Tens of thousands of demonstrators marched across Spain's Canary Islands in April to demand changes to the model of mass tourism, which they say is overwhelming the Atlantic archipelago.

Last year, some 16 million people visited the Canary Islands, more than seven times its population of around 2.2 million.

"We take that very, very seriously," TUI chief Sebastian Ebel told journalists.

However Ebel said that TUI, which offers hotel bookings, chartered flights and cruises across the world, isn't responsible for rising housing prices for locals.