Héctor Fernández, CEO of the Lanzarote Foreign Promotion Society (SPEL), explains the reasons behind the fall of the peninsular market, assesses the rise in prices that is taking place on the island in search of premium tourism, and anticipates a great occupancy during the winter months, in an interview with Radio Lanzarote.
- Peninsular tourism to Lanzarote has been falling for six months, what has happened?
We have been analyzing the data since the summer. The fall in October is very low, the important fall figures occurred during the summer, especially in July, with a decrease of 25% and a little less in August.
- What are the causes?
There are several reasons, on the one hand, as Ekonomus published in La Voz de Lanzarote a few days ago, the island has become the third most expensive tourist destination in Spain for Christmas. The average accommodation rate in Lanzarote has risen exponentially in recent years.
This is something we have been working on for a long time, premium tourism, improving the offer at the destination, which leads to a price increase that affects the national market the most, which is the most affected pocket, because we are still below the average income in Europe.
"In the summer, Ryanair removed quite a few routes from Madrid"
- Isn't it also due to the cost or availability of flights from the peninsula?
The air issue is another of the causes. In the summer, Ryanair removed quite a few routes from Madrid, something that was not planned. It maintained 8 or 9 weekly frequencies in July instead of the 14 planned because they had a problem with the delivery of airplanes. We are talking to them so that it does not happen again next year.
- Are there more reasons that explain the fall in national tourism?
The seasonality of the market. National tourism, like Nordic or Italian tourism, is very seasonal. People in Spain travel massively in the summer. That does not happen with the British, French, German or Irish markets, which have a stable behavior throughout the year.
For this reason, when we have spoken with hotel establishments, we have detected that, with good judgment, given the dichotomy of offering their rooms to the national market in the summer or maintaining their commitments with British tour operators, who maintain the hotel all year round at very competitive prices, they opt for the second.
"National tourism is very seasonal. They travel massively in the summer"
- And doesn't national tourism spend more at the destination than other markets?
Indeed, and it must be valued, national tourism is very important in terms of spending, although the average stay is also shorter.
- What can be done to maintain peninsular tourism?
We have worked intensely to try to de-seasonalize the market. To ensure that flows are maintained in non-summer periods to encourage hoteliers to maintain their commitments with Spanish operators throughout the year.
The peninsular market is two hours away by plane, so it is an absolutely interesting market for Lanzarote and we will never stop working on it. We are preparing Fitur and we are constantly talking with all the actors in this market, we cannot stand idly by.
- And didn't the European Championship and the Olympics have something to do with it?
These are global phenomena that were not noticed in other markets. The summer was good for tourism in Lanzarote as it has been all year.
"British tour operators, mainly jet2, are offering very good conditions to hotel managers"
- A fall in Italian tourism has also been detected, aren't we in danger of depending too much on the British market?
I think diversification is being achieved. Lanzarote is already the second island in arrivals from France, for example. We have also grown a little in Germany, which was a pending issue.
- In the figures, agreements with tour operators are key. Isn't that so?
Indeed. British tour operators, mainly jet2, are offering very good conditions to hotel managers in payments, prepayments and enormous stability, with all the guarantees.
- How is the winter season looking?
The data for November and December indicate very high occupancy. Our high season has always been in winter. In summer we suffer more because we have many competitors.
The results until April are going to be very good because we have great climatic strength and our winter is unmatched.
