Lanzarote´s tourist industry experienced a sharp fall in arrivals last month.

According to the latest figures just released by AENA, the Spanish airport operators. With the total number of recorded tourist visits dropping by just over 19% versus February 2008.

 

The new AENA figures reveal that the number of tourists arriving on flights to Lanzarote  has now fallen by the cumulative figure of just over 16% in the first two months of this year, versus the same period in 2008. As the credit crunch and the current economic crisis starts to really bite deeply into Lanzarote´s all important tourist industry. Which accounts for an estimated 85% of the islands total GDP.

 

The British market – Lanzarote´s largest by some distance (accounting for around 60% of all arrivals in 2008) – has been the hardest hit. Thanks to the added downward pressure created by the recent depreciation of sterling against the euro. And as a result the number of British tourists visiting the island has fallen by 18.82% during the first two months of this year.

 

The same negative picture has been repeated across virtually every other major market. With German visitor numbers down by 13.36% and double digit drops recorded in Norway, Sweden and Holland. Indeed only the Irish market (Lanzarote´s third largest) has shown any degree of resilience – as arrivals from Eire fell only marginally in February. Down by just 3.74%. So further illustrating Lanzarote´s enormous popularity as a holiday destination with Irish tourists.

 

Inevitably, declining tourist numbers are impacting across the islands economy. With ASOLAN, the local hoteliers association, reporting a 13% fall in occupancy levels in Lanzarote hotels and apartment complexes. Whilst the Lanzarote property sector – which has largely been fuelled by overseas investment over the last decade – currently remains flat. With local agents reporting a growing portfolio of reduced price property but few buyers out there in a position to take advantage.

 

The situation on Lanzarote is being replicated across Spain – according to figures released recently by the Ministry of Tourism. Which indicate that the total number of tourist arrivals for Spain as a whole fell by 15.9% in February versus the same month in 2008. With British arrivals declining even more steeply – down by 23.4% for the same period.

 

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