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Silent disco tours spark debate over tourism in Tenerife and Spain
What looks like harmless fun to visitors is also raising questions about crowding, culture and public space
A viral clip of tourists dancing through the streets of South Tenerife has stirred debate after local Spanish media linked the scene to British visitors and wider concerns about mass tourism. The footage shows groups taking part in silent disco-style tours with headphones, singing and dancing as they move through public walkways with the company Silent Adventures.What some see as light-hearted holiday fun, others have described online as a “tourist circus”. The tours are run in English and are mainly aimed at foreign visitors, especially people from the UK. In the comments and local coverage, the scenes have been used to fuel a wider discussion about how tourism is changing parts of the Canary Islands.
The reaction has gone beyond one viral video. Some residents say areas of South Tenerife now feel designed almost entirely for visitors, with holidaymakers able to spend their whole stay without much contact with Spanish language or local culture. Others say the images risk feeding negative stereotypes about British tourists, even though the UK remains one of the most important markets for the islands.
There is also a broader frustration underneath it all. In popular areas, residents have been speaking more openly about noise, overcrowding and a growing sense that daily life is becoming harder. For some, the issue is not the silent disco itself, but what it seems to represent.
The same trend has also appeared in mainland Spain. In Alicante, two companies are running weekend silent tours for groups of around 20 people, using headphones, guided routes and music-based activities as they walk through the city centre. Participants follow choreographed routines and musical challenges, with the route taking in places such as Town Hall Square, the Co-cathedral of St Nicholas, the Central Market and the Esplanade.
Organisers say the idea is meant to be immersive and fun, with one describing it as “an immersive and impactful experience”. One participant in Alicante put it more simply, saying: “It’s like being at a private concert.” They argue it helps visitors enjoy the city in a different way and can also support nearby bars and restaurants.
For tourists, the appeal is clear. For some locals, though, it is another sign of how public spaces are being reshaped by tourism. In Tenerife, at least, that tension is now very visible.
Image: digital representation
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