Between two and three million euros per day in losses could mean the controllers' strike for Lanzarote. This was announced at a press conference by the president of Asolan, Susana Pérez, and the spokesperson for the island's tourism association, Francisco Martínez. If the strike day were to occur, losses in the tourism sector would reach 40 million euros per day throughout the country, according to initial assessments by the Spanish Confederation of Hotels and Tourist Accommodation (CEHAT), affecting the island by at least 6 or 8 percent. A fact that could mean "a catastrophe" for the island's tourism, according to Susana Pérez.
However, although until Tuesday afternoon there will be uncertainty as to whether the strike day will occur, the effects have already been noticed. Thus, according to Asolan spokesperson Francisco Martínez, many people, given the doubt of whether they will be affected by the strike day, "have canceled their reservations". In addition, these have also "slowed down" in recent days. "Many people are thinking of going abroad so that the strike does not affect them or staying on the Peninsula and taking another means of transport," Martínez said.
A "slight improvement"
Still, not all is bad news for the island's tourism association, or at least that's what the figures indicate. According to Asolan president Susana Pérez, occupancy has increased this July by 5.8 percent compared to last year. A figure that shows "a slight improvement" although, according to Pérez, "we cannot yet speak of recovery", since the average for this year, around 76.7 percent, is still far from the data of previous years such as 2008 and 2007, where it exceeded 80 percent.
This trend towards increase is expected to continue for the rest of the year if the controllers' strike does not finally take place. Except for the month of January, where there was practically no increase, and the month of April, in which the tourism sector was affected by the ashes of the Icelandic volcano, the average increase for the rest of the year has been around 5 percent. Thus, Susana Pérez pointed out, this "should not vary".
Costa Teguise remains the preferred area for tourists, although all tourist areas of the island exceed 77 percent occupancy, while other areas such as Puerto Calero, Tinajo or rural hotels are below that average. In terms of typology, apart-hotels occupy the first place, followed by four-star hotels, apartments and, finally, bungalows.
Increase in spending
The average spending of tourists visiting the island has also increased in the second quarter of this year by ten percent, according to a survey released this Monday by the Data Center of the Cabildo, based on data from the Canary Islands Institute of Statistics. Thus, compared to 100 euros per day in 2009, spending has now increased to 110 euros, with Spanish tourists and those from the Nordic countries spending the most, while those from the United Kingdom and Germany spend the least.
However, this level of spending is similar "to that of 12 or 13 years ago", according to Francisco Martínez, which makes the situation one of "very difficult endurance" and "a subsistence economy" is experienced in the sector. In addition, Susana Pérez added that of those 10 euros in which spending has increased, practically "9 euros remain in the place of origin".
"We are on a very bad path, but we cannot blame anyone. The economy on which we depend is as it is and we have to wait for this to pass," said Martínez, who added that the island has "a handicap", which is the existence of "an excess of supply" that means that "around 20,000 beds are free".
The president of Asolan insisted that we must continue to make "an effort to boost the issues of visits and renew the complementary offer", as well as continue to "bet on airlines", especially "low cost" since, according to Pérez, tourists who fly on these companies are ultimately "those who spend the most".
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