GEOGRAPHIES OF DISPOSSESSION: ANALYSING A TOURIST CITY (PUERTO DE LA CRUZ, CANARY ISLANDS)

In 2008, when real estate prices in Spain fell rapidly (real estate bubble), an economic crisis was triggered that led to a fast increase in unemployment and evictions. We build on Harvey's idea of accumulation by dispossession and examine the urban distribution of evictions that took place between 2008 and 2016 in the inner-city area of Puerto de la Cruz (Tenerife, Canary Islands). For this purpose, we analyse a database and conduct guideline interviews with a member of the city's social services department and two local real estate agents. The study shows that the Spanish real estate crisis has exacerbated socio-spatial disparities in the city of Puerto de la Cruz and that the number of dispossessions in the years 2008 to 2016, compared with the period of 1995 to 2007, rose substantially. Inner-city areas with high numbers of tourists and tourism infrastructure were particularly affected. Our analysis offers different aspects which allow a comparison with the growing number of case studies in Spain.