The Olympic sailing program 'Lanzarote International Regatta' generated an income for the island of 37 million euros, according to the economic impact report carried out by the Auditax consultancy commissioned by Marina de Rubicón, the company organizing the event.
The idea of turning Lanzarote into the winter training center for Olympic sailing arose after the break imposed by the pandemic at the end of the previous Olympic cycle and became a reality thanks to the initiative of the Canarian coach Gustavo Martínez Doreste, together with the impulse of Marina de Rubicón and the collaboration of the Royal Canarian Sailing Federation, the organizers report in a statement.
In its 2024 edition, the 'Lanzarote International Regatta' took place over five months (from November 2023 to February 2024) and included two qualifying regattas and four world championships of Olympic classes: 2023 IQ Foil Games, 2024 IQFOIL World Championship and 2024 49er & 49erFX World Championship).
In the final stretch of the campaign for the Paris Olympic Games, Marina Rubicón became the winter base for the best sailors in the world; in fact, 23 of the 30 athletes who managed to win a sailing medal had trained in Lanzarote.
In total, 1,200 sailors from 54 countries on four continents (Europe, America, Asia and Oceania) sailed on the island, not counting technical teams, companions and family members. The report estimates an average daily expenditure per athlete of 250 euros.
The sailors left more than 19 million euros directly in Lanzarote for concepts such as accommodation and food.
Auditax highlights that the regatta has been selected by the public company Promotur as a proposal that enhances the “Canary Islands” brand as a tourist destination, and emphasizes that it also projects Lanzarote as a benchmark in international sailing.
The estimated advertising impact of the 'Lanzarote International Regatta' 2024 in local, national and international media exceeded six million euros, according to this analysis, which highlights that different television channels broadcast the event in 89 countries.
Rafael Lasso, CEO of Marina de Rubicón, who will present the 2025 edition this Friday, highlights the multiplier effect of the event with respect to the aid it receives, pointing out that the income for the Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands in terms of IGIC amounts to more than two million euros.
