The Cabildo has announced that the Papagayo Camping Area "will open its doors in Holy Week" and, for the first time in its history, "will remain in operation throughout the year".
“The service will also be provided with economic conditions that are much more respectful of taxpayers' money, saving costs”, said the Minister of Youth and head of the camping area, Myriam Barros.
The Island Corporation explains that since Barros assumed government responsibilities last January, one of the first issues she was interested in "was the permanent opening of the camping area." “It was my obligation to put the camping area at the service of the people and, thanks to the work and support of the wonderful staff of the Cabildo, we have found a way”, celebrated the councilor.
To make this opening possible, the Youth area maintains that it has also had the collaboration of the Cabildo's Environment and Employment councils, led by Elena Solís and Jorge Peñas respectively, to whom Barros has conveyed "her gratitude".
“Giving alternatives to the dozens of motorhomes that occupy the coast irregularly, seriously endangering the environmental balance, was urgent”, said the Minister of the Environment, an area that has contributed part of the financing for the opening of the camping area, and that will launch "training courses for sustainable camping".
For its part, the Cabildo explains that the collaboration provided by the Cabildo's Employment area, led by Jorge Peñas, "has reduced costs." "A crew from the Employment Plan 'Caring for Lanzarote, which is responsible for cleaning the coastline and beautifying different areas of the island, is the one that has been in charge of cleaning the surroundings of the Papagayo Camping Area and painting the lines that delimit the plots”, said the councilor.
Savings of "about 70,000 euros per month" compared to other years
The three councilors of the Cabildo met this week with the Recreational Cultural Association of Motorhomes for Lanzarote (ACRAL), to collect "their concerns regarding the permanent opening of the camping area." "The management in previous years, under the tutelage of the right, meant an economic drain", the councilors point out.
“It does not seem that a good job was done with public money and resources”, said councilor Myriam Barros. And, according to the Cabildo, in 2018, when the Corporation was governed by CC and PP, "it was only open for two and a half months", reaching "an expense of 234,763 euros." The Corporation also points out that this expense was "the highest since the Cabildo assumed its management in 2015", compared to "the 172,284 euros that its opening will now cost during the eight months remaining of the year".
“We are talking about savings of about 70,000 euros per month”, added Barros, who also assured that the Papagayo Camping Area will now open with conditions that “will ensure the return on investment” compared to “the deficit that had been registered”.
Specifically, the Cabildo points out that the opening of the Papagayo Camping Area will be carried out "through a management assignment to the public company Tragsa", which will also be responsible "for the maintenance of the facilities." As for the reservation of places, it will be "online" and in the coming days "all the details of the conditions for camping and the specific opening date will be announced".
