While the Papagayo campsite is running at half speed, with only a third of its surface occupied, other areas of Lanzarote continue to have the problem of illegal camping. Some campers have chosen to camp in Caleta de Guatiza and La Santa. The city councils of Teguise and Tinajo assure that they do not have the power to act in these areas and that it should be the General Directorate of Coasts that regulates these campsites. The Local Police of both municipalities has distributed leaflets from the Cabildo, in which these campers are warned that the regularized area is that of Papagayo.
In La Santa, there are several caravans and motorhomes in La Isleta, near the Hotel La Santa Sport. They have been there for several weeks and the number has increased since the Caleta de Caballo campers decided to also approach this area. The councilor of the Tinajo City Council, Antonio Morales, believes that they do not camp in Papagayo "because they are customs, and many people have camped in La Santa all their lives."
Morales assures that the City Council "cannot do anything, only control and monitor that there is no dirt in the area." And, according to the councilor, "the area is quite clean because people are aware of the issue." "They are calm, they do not bother, there are no complaints, or incidents. Another thing is the debate of whether that area is for camping or not, because right now it is not authorized as such," the councilor acknowledged. Therefore, the City Council of Tinajo will not put "problems" to these campsites, although it will carry out a follow-up "so that garbage is not thrown" in the area.
Something very similar happens in Caleta de Guatiza, although in this case the number of campers has been reduced and there are practically only three motorhomes left, at least this Thursday. In August, the Teguise City Council has received complaints about this illegal camping. "They sent the Police to take a look and the agents gave them a leaflet from the Cabildo so that they would go to Papagayo," explains councilor Echedey Eugenio.
A neighbor also contacted La Voz to report that the campers were parking and, therefore, occupying the entire beach in Guatiza. "I find it incomprehensible. A beach is for bathing and not for occupying it with campers and people who move with their houses on their backs to spend days after days," she said. This woman assured that in mid-August there were "more than 15 motorhomes" in the area.
Precisely because they are motorhomes, the situation is more "complicated" for the Local Police, since they are simply "parked" in the area and that is not prohibited. "They do not have extensions, or awnings, or anything. They are not houses and caravans," explains Eugenio, who, like Antonio Morales, hopes that the Island Plan contemplates camping areas in Lanzarote to end this problem once and for all.
The Cabildo asks for "awareness" from caravaners
Faced with this situation of illegal camping, the councilor of the Cabildo de Lanzarote Juan Antonio de la Hoz has asked for "awareness from the caravaners" who are camping in "places where they cannot be." "We invite you to take advantage of Papagayo. We do not believe that 7 euros per motorhome and 4 euros per house is a high figure," defends the councilor, who assures that the price "is cheaper" than last year, but this summer the campers do not have electricity, among other services.
The Cabildo cannot act in La Santa or in Caleta de Guatiza to try to remove these motorhomes either. "We are doing an informative job. Distributing leaflets with the prices and conditions of Papagayo so that they know that this offer exists," says the councilor, who hopes that the Papagayo campsite will be filled "a little more in the second shift, from August 31 to September 14." From this date, the "occupation" will weaken again, since the minors return to school.
