The increase in the price of the shopping basket in the last month not only affects the average citizen, but also many sectors such as hospitality.
Many restaurants had to increase the price of their products a month ago, but now they are forced to raise them again, according to Cristóbal Sánchez, vice president of the Association of Hospitality and Restaurants.
Regarding the price of electricity, Sánchez stresses that in hospitality establishments they have noticed increases in figures "quite considerable". "Restaurants that paid 3,000 euros for electricity, or 4,000, now pay 8,000," explains the vice president of the Association, who emphasizes that this price increase "affects the customer."
Regarding the cost of raw materials, the hotelier emphasizes that the price increase is "in all products." "We are not talking about increases of 20 or 30 cents, but exaggeratedly important," says the vice president of the Association, who adds that he does not understand how families have "saving capacity" with the price increase. "We will have to live through another type of crisis, because there is no way to sustain this," he says.
"There are products that are already scarce and continue to rise in price, such as meats, seafood or oil," explains the vice president of the Association of Hospitality and Restaurants of Lanzarote, Cristóbal Sánchez, on Radio Lanzarote Onda Cero, and assures that this price increase will be suffered by "the average citizen."
The case of sunflower oil, which caused some supermarkets on the Island to limit the number of bottles per person, is noticeable in the hospitality industry. "In restaurants it is a basic product," says Sánchez, who jokes that from the sector they are looking for a way to "fry with water", given the abusive prices of oil.
"There is a great atmosphere, everything is full right now"
Despite the increase in prices, Cristóbal Sánchez is happy with the reservations and the tourist situation this Easter. "There is a great atmosphere, everything is full right now," says the vice president of the Association, and emphasizes that in restaurants "there is joy."
However, Sánchez assures that some hotel entrepreneurs have not been able to resist the consequences of the pandemic, and some restaurants on the Island have not been able to reopen their doors. However, he stresses that really, like the hotel sector, the rest of the establishments "are open", except for some that are undergoing renovations.
In addition, the vice president of the Association celebrates the situation in which the island of Lanzarote finds itself, as he assures that the same does not happen in the rest of the Archipelago. "I have just been in Gran Canaria and Tenerife over the weekend, and they are not the same as us, not by a long shot. That means we have done our homework and it shows," he adds.
"Taxi drivers in Tenerife are still working alternate days and cannot work everything, as we were in the pandemic," says Cristóbal Sánchez, who maintains that this is another element that confirms that Lanzarote "is in fashion."
The gastronomy of Lanzarote, on the rise
The gastronomic offer of Lanzarote is also a tourist attraction, and Cristóbal Sánchez also values the quality of the restaurants on the Island. "Before there were only two places to go, and now we can't fit in our hand the number of restaurants there are on the Island," he points out.
"One thing leads to another, and if the number of tourists increases, it means that gastronomy also increases. Everything looks good, but we can't fall asleep," says Sánchez, who adds that in Lanzarote things have to be done "better". "We cannot forget what we have lived through, because another blockage may come and we have to be prepared."
In addition, for tourists to value the experience in Lanzarote and want to return to the Island, Cristóbal Sánchez points out that "all services" must be provided. In that line, he names one of the main problems that exist in Lanzarote: taxis; and the shortage of vehicles that sometimes exists at the airport. "We should have taxis waiting for customers, and not customers waiting for the taxi," he adds.
However, the vice president of the Association values the current situation of tourism on the Island very positively. "We have been talking and sharing misfortunes for two years, and now talking about positive things is incredible," says Cristóbal Sánchez.
