British Tourism Up 7% On Lanzarote

Whilst tourism across Spain has fallen by a figure of 8.7% nationally during 2009, according to official government figures released yesterday, the popular holiday destination of Lanzarote has managed to buck this negative trend.  With the number of tourists arriving on flights to Lanzarote from the UK actually increasing during the course of November 2009 by nearly 7%.

The British market has long been the power house of Lanzarote´s tourist and property sectors.  With visitors from the UK traditionally accounting for around 50% of Lanzarote´s 1.5 million annual foreign tourist arrivals. During the course of 2009 this market had shown clear signs of meltdown – as British consumers were squeezed by the double whammy of the credit crunch and the weakness of sterling against the Euro.  With total arrivals from the UK falling by as much as 20% in the months running up to the peak summer holiday period.

But this negative trend has been turned around since then – making particularly happy reading for the many thousands of overseas owners of Lanzarote villas and apartments.  As British arrivals rose for the first time during the course of the year in November – according to figures just released by the Spanish airport operators AENA.  With Lanzarote welcoming a total of 63,753 visitors from the UK – a figure up by 6.97% from the November 2008 figure of 59,601 arrivals.

The number of tourists visiting Lanzarote from Eire – the island’s third largest market – also increased during November 2009.  Up by 1.47% as the island welcomed 11,382 visitors from the Republic.  However the picture was not entirely rosy as arrivals from Lanzarote´s second most important market of Germany continued to fall – down by 10.28% to 26,843 visitors.

However the increase in British visitor numbers remains extremely positive – not least as this bucks the national trend in Spain.  Where tourism has declined by 8.7% during the course of 2009. This turnaround is being attributed to the ‘Ryanair effect’.  As the budget airline turned their attentions to the Canary Islands last autumn in order to take advantage of the suspension of airport taxes and charges by the Spanish government.  As they sought to revive the country’s flagging tourist sector.

In late October Ryanair started flying 17 new services to Lanzarote from across the UK.  Which have proved so successful and popular that by the end of November the airline was instantly established as he largest carrier of tourists to the island.  Accounting for a total of 44,232 passengers.

As a result Ryanair recently confirmed that they will continue to operate flights to the island well into 2012.  Providing a further boost for the Lanzarote property market.  Which is largely powered by foreign investment in holiday properties.