The latest figures just released by the Spanish airport operators AENA reveal that visitor numbers to the holiday destination of Lanzarote fell by nearly 20% last month. With some of the largest percentage falls occurring in the British market – the island’s largest source of tourist arrivals.
The new AENA figures show that the total number of tourists arriving on flights to Lanzarote fell from 169,065 visitors in March 2008 to 135,663 last month. A 19.75% drop. With British tourist numbers falling from 82,940 visitors to 66,239 for the same period, a decline of 20.14%.
Whilst these figures are slightly skewed by the fact that Easter fell in April this year and in March during 2008 AENA´s cumulative figures for the first quarter of this year reveal an overall drop in total tourist numbers of 17.36%. With the UK market recording a 19.31% decline across this same period. As the credit crunch combines with the depreciation of sterling against the euro to restrict expenditure on European holidays.
AENA also recorded double digit drops in arrivals from Lanzarote´s other key markets during the first quarter of this year. With German visitor numbers falling by 13.95%. And Irish tourist arrivals declining by 10.87%.
Inevitably falling tourist numbers are starting to impact upon all sectors of the island’s economy. As hotel occupancy levels fell by over 10% last month, according to ASOLAN, the local hoteliers association. Whilst forward bookings for apartments and villas in Lanzarote – many of which are owned by overseas investors – are also being adversely affected.
Of all of the Canary Islands Lanzarote has been hit hardest by this current slump, according to the Canarian Government Tourist Board. Who recently released figures which show that arrivals on Gran Canaria fell by ‘just´11.55%. Followed by La Palma (down 12.9%), Tenerife (16.19%) and Fuerteventura (16.28%).
