Holidaymakers told to seek written PERMISSION to visit tiny island in the Canaries in bid to stop mass tourism – or face being fined

TOURISTS planning to visit Lobos Island will need to ask permission from the council three days in advance before being allowed to travel.

The tiny islet in the Canary Islands has introduced the new rules in a bid to limit numbers and protect it from saturation.

Also know as Isla de Lobos, it is just a short boat ride from the better known holiday destination of Fuerteventura and used to be visited by thousands of sightseers every year.

Now, the island's council has decided to take tough action to stop it from being ruined and is enforcing a limit of no more than 400 people a day, divided into two lots of 200 maximum.

A spokesperson said: "The aim is to guarantee the preservation of this unique space and natural park."

Lobos is less than five square kilometres and has only a handful of facilities but at one stage, became so fashionable that protest groups were counting as many as 2,000 tourists on Saturdays and Sundays.

The tiny island is rich in marine biodiversity and endemic species of plants and birds but apart from that, campaigners say there is nothing for tourists to do except "picture opportunities" which are ruining it.

Fuerteventura's leaders have started a trial period of asking would-be visitors to register in advance and have even been given time slots to choose from.

Each visitor can only request permission for up to three people per day online and there are two time slots of four hours each.

Anyone who tries to get on the island, which is only reached by boat, will be fined.

There will be officials on the island to check everyone's tickets.

The visitor limit for the two time slots is 200 each and no more tickets will be sold for the days when this is reached.

The system is on trial until January 30th when it will be reviewed.

President of Fuerteventura council, Marcial Morales said: "Compliance with the regulations of the Master Plan for the Use and Management of Islote de Lobos requires this type of measure to combine the full enjoyment of the natural area with its correct preservation."

The next step in the campaign is likely to be the introduction of a tourist tax with the money going towards conservation work, cleaning and monitoring of this natural space, although the fee has not yet been decided.

The Canary Islands are popular with British travellers looking for a relaxing holiday.

A beach in Fuerteventura has been dubbed Popcorn Bay thanks to the white coral mixing with the sand, resulting in the popcorn-like effect.

Brits concerned about how their holiday to the Canary Islands after Brexit could be worried for nothing, as eight of the islands including Tenerife, Lanzarote and Gran Canaria are considering cutting taxes for tourists after the UK leaves the EU.