Spanish island declares emergency as tourists warned 'situation will be more complex'

A warning has been issued to anyone planning a trip to Spain after an emergency was declared due to a severe water shortage in Tenerife.

The popular holiday destination is facing a drought, which could impact those looking forward to a Spanish getaway. The emergency was announced by the Tenerife Island Water Council as tourist numbers continue to surge.This decision was made after the Government intervened, aiming to cut down unnecessary water use on the island.

Urgent work will now be carried out and a campaign launched to encourage people to conserve water.This comes after Tenerife experienced its hottest February since 1961, the Liverpool Echo reports.Politicians are pointing fingers at tourism for the water crisis, with one luxury hotel reportedly using up to 400 litres of water per guest each day - four times more than a local resident would typically use.

Last year, the Canary Islands saw their second-highest visitor numbers, welcoming over 14 million tourists. Despite having a population of just under one million, Tenerife alone welcomed 5.6 million visitors - and it seems this number is set to rise even further.Juan Rumeu, from the Canary Islands Business Association of Environmental Consultants, expressed concerns that the situation could worsen due to increasing population and tourism on the island, reports www.eldiario.es.ález.Luis Javier Gonzalez, the mayor of Fasnia in Tenerife, has issued a stark warning: "If we continue to bet on the massive arrival of tourism and the scarcity of water resources is maintained, the situation will be more complex".Fasnia's Town Council has become the first to announce restrictions due to water scarcity.