Masca Residents Demand Urgent Action as Overtourism Pushes Village to Breaking Point

Tourism in the village of Masca, located in Buenavista del Norte, has reached a breaking point, raising serious concerns about the sustainability of the area. The local neighborhood association reports that the daily lives of the village's 80 permanent residents have been disrupted by massive crowds, turning their home into a scene of chaos.

Residents are struggling with more than just overcrowding; they are facing significant safety and service issues. The community reports a lack of police presence and a failure by authorities to address the impact of tourism, which has led to frequent uncivil behavior. Key complaints include visitors using private property as restrooms, illegal dumping, and pest infestations in overflowing trash bins that require urgent sanitation.

The area’s fragile infrastructure was highlighted on March 15, when a broken-down motorhome blocked the TF-436—the only road into the village. The resulting closure forced residents to question how emergency services would cope during a genuine crisis. In response, the neighborhood association has proposed several technical improvements, including adding vehicle pull-offs, widening tight turns, and installing better road signage.

The group is also calling for a major shift in transportation, urging officials to increase public bus services to reduce the reliance on private cars. Currently, the local infrastructure cannot handle the volume of visitors, which is the second highest on the island after Teide National Park. With the Easter holidays approaching, residents are demanding that authorities take immediate action to ensure road safety and protect the privacy and well-being of a community that is a residential village, not a theme park.