It is enough to have eyes in your face to realize that Lanzarote has exceeded its Load Capacity. However, for the interested shortsighted, like Oswaldo Betancort, it must be remembered that indicators of all kinds confirm that our island has its Load Capacity widely exceeded.
Let's go in parts. From the point of view of economic activity and employment, Lanzarote is doing well, very well. But we expect much more than that from Lanzarote. Therefore, for the PSOE, the challenge we have ahead is to continue developing touristically without increasing accommodation places.
This involves relocating the island in the world tourist market through sensitized visitors, respectful of the environment and that boost the rest of the economy, especially the primary sector. That involves getting them to spend more here by valuing the natural and cultural heritage, while guaranteeing sufficient, stable and well-paid jobs.
We must have our sights set on the quality of life of the population of Lanzarote, so our great objective, therefore, would be to reposition Lanzarote as a panoramic island of nature and art, which requires the recovery, protection and enhancement of the landscape and natural and cultural heritage.
Our challenge, in short, is to avoid an irreversible deterioration of our island as a tourist destination and as a vital space for the population. To this end, we will prioritize that the island does not increase the number of existing tourist beds, betting on the improvement of the current plant and the implementation of complementary tourist activities that increase the quality of the destination and diversify the offer.
We have to accommodate the total number of visitors to temper the pressure that the tourist phenomenon also generates on the resident population in very diverse areas such as roads, access to essential public services such as health and education, the densification of leisure spaces, etc.
It is mandatory to preserve for future generations the island model that distinguishes and differentiates Lanzarote in the world. This will be one of the objectives of the next term, not only with the approval of a new Island Planning Plan, but with the adoption of measures of all kinds that allow those who visit us to share in the environmental sustainability and the reduction of the ecological footprint produced by tourism.
We are talking about implementing a Tourist Co-responsibility Fee, that is, an Ecotax applicable to tourists who visit us, through which they can actively collaborate in the environmental, ecological and social sustainability of our island. The payment of said fee will help compensate the island society for the environmental and social cost of the intensive tourism we receive.
Finally, we will limit the disproportionate growth of tourist apartments where this phenomenon causes a problem of access to housing due to the increase in rental prices. It is pure common sense, despite the interested shortsighted.
Ariagona González, number 2 of the PSOE to the Cabildo of Lanzarote
