Rats have reportedly been pictured near sunbeds on beaches in Gran Canaria, sparking fears among tourism officials that the images could damage the island's reputation. The affected areas include Playa del Inglés, Las Burras and San Agustín in San Bartolomé de Tirajana, according to local media.
Officials demand action
Tourism officials say action needs to be taken to tackle the rodents and a purported accumulation of rubbish. Carlos Álamo, a tourism councillor from the Gran Canaria Island Council, told Canarias7: "This is not the image of quality that corresponds to a destination like ours and, without a doubt, it affects the work and puts at risk the joint effort of the entire island in the promotion and in the message that we want to export."
During a visit on Thursday, clean-up work was being carried out, he added. The rat sightings have been happening since last week and have been branded "completely unacceptable".
Investigation and prevention
Councillor Álamo wants an analysis of what happened to be conducted in order to determine who is responsible for cleaning, maintenance and waste collection in the impacted areas. He added: "Beyond the immediate impact, we must ensure this never happens again. Our beaches are one of our main calling cards for visitors and require the highest level of care, cleanliness, and maintenance."
Tourism revenue record
The incident comes as data suggests that Gran Canaria generated a record revenue of €1.18 billion from tourism between April and June this year, despite having fewer visitors than during the same period of 2025. FRONTUR figures suggest the island welcomed 991,642 tourists in that period.
