“Success cannot be measured solely in millions of tourists or occupancy rates. True success should be measured in well-being for the local population, territorial balance, and quality of life. Ordering the territory, planning with a future vision, and protecting our resources is not going against tourism, but ensuring its continuity.”
“There are debates we must face without fear. One of them is the implementation of a tourist tax with a clearly defined objective. That what is collected reverts directly to the well-being of the population that receives and hosts, to the people who live there.”
When the waters calm after FITUR and the tide of people, companies, trips, headlines, and figures recedes… It’s a good time to pause and reflect.
For several days, the Madrid International Tourism Fair concentrates incessant activity: pavilions full to bursting, carefully constructed narratives to sell destinations, and a permanent sense of urgency to be present, to tell, to showcase oneself in a grand display.
Tourism, at least as I understand it, is not built in a few days or in a single space. The real work is done throughout the year, from the territory, from the municipalities, and from daily managementFitur is a useful tool, but perhaps it should be consolidated as a space for technical work, for industry professionals, and to focus on its true mission, which is to stop there to capture new experiences, generate synergies, share initiatives that work, and learn from strategies that can be adapted to our reality.
In the 21st century, the challenge is not to live off tourism but to coexist with it. Especially at a time when globality is everything and little escapes its tide.
Lanzarote is an island with limited resources. Water, soil, and territory are not infinite. Neither are public services nor the island's carrying capacity. Added to this is a growing problem in areas such as housing, mobility, or access to basic services. All of this forces us to look at the tourism model responsibly and ask ourselves if continuing to chase visitor records is really the path we want to take.
It is clear that it is not. Success cannot be measured solely in millions of tourists or occupancy rates. True success should be measured in well-being for the local population, territorial balance, and quality of life. Ordering the territory, planning with a vision for the future, and protecting our resources is not going against tourism, but ensuring its continuity.
Lanzarote offers a unique landscape, environment, and experiences. Living in this land of volcanoes is a privilege that I am deeply proud of. That people from all over the world want to get to know it is something we should value. But precisely because of this, we have a public responsibility, in my role as mayor of San Bartolomé, to take care of who we are and what we offer, so that this experience remains authentic and sustainable over time and, above all, compatible with our way of life, with the daily lives of our neighborsIn this context, there are debates we must face without fear. One of them is the implementation of a tourist tax with a clearly defined purpose
Offering a quality destination is not incompatible with asking for a small contribution from those who visit us. It's not about prohibiting but about sharing responsibility. About understanding that caring for a fragile territory requires resources. And this is a legitimate and necessary reflection.
We are not talking about a purely revenue-generating proposal, but about a tool to improve the island and the quality of life of its inhabitants. These funds should be allocated to areas where local administrations do have responsibilities, such as the socio-health sector, reinforcing care for the elderly and dependent individuals, as well as training and employment programs that generate real and stable opportunities.
Similarly, it is essential to invest in the maintenance and conservation of the island, especially its protected natural areas that are part of our identity and tourist appeal, in addition to improving information and management services. Only then can tourism success translate into social well-being, sustainability, and a future for Lanzarote
Rethinking tourism from within is, ultimately, deciding if we want to live by records. And that is a reflection that, when the spotlights of the fairs dim and the pavilions empty, we must undertake calmly, honestly, and thinking about the future of Lanzarote and those of us who call it home.
