British Visits Up 6% In Lanzarote
British consumers are refusing to give up their holidays in the sun. Despite the current economic crisis. As figures just released by the Spanish airport operators AENA reveal that British visitor numbers to the sunshine island of Lanzarote have actually risen by 6% so far this year. So confounding speculation that the credit crunch could spell the end for overseas travel. Whilst also providing welcome news for the many overseas investors who own apartments and holiday villas in Lanzarote.
Lanzarote is the eastern most of the Canary Islands – located just seventy miles off the coast of Africa. A position that creates a clement year round climate which has long been hugely popular with British holiday makers.
Indeed the UK has long been established as the largest tourist market for Lanzarote, accounting for well over 50% of all visitors to the Island of Fire made by non-Spanish nationals annually. . A position of popularity that has been further cemented by the availability of cheap holidays and flights to Lanzarote, making the island a cost effective alternative to rival destinations such as Morrocco, Turkey, Cyprus and Egypt.
Despite the credit crunch the new AENA figures reveal that British tourist numbers to Lanzarote have in fact increased by 6% to October end this year. With the Island of Fire welcoming a total of 708,506 British guests during the first ten months of 2008.
And it´s not just the British who continue to flock to this small Canary Island in droves. As visitor numbers from Ireland – Lanzarote´s third largest market – have also increased across this same period. Up by 1.39% with a total of 186,759 holiday makers from the Republic touching down at Arrecife airport. So further cementing Lanzarote´s position as the most popular destination in Spain for Irish tourists.
Elsewhere, Lanzarote has also enjoyed significant increases in tourist numbers from Scandinavia, according to the new AENA figures. Which was once a key market for the island when tourism first started to take off in Spain back in the 1970´s. With tourist numbers from Sweden up by 35.07%, from Norway by 19.6% and Finland up 14.33%.
This sunny picture does harbour one or two dark clouds though. As tourist numbers from Lanzarote´s second largest market – Germany – continue to decline. Down by 13.23% to 226,088 visits.
However, total foreign tourist numbers remain up – albeit by just 1.01% versus 2007 with a total of 1,341,556 visits enjoying a holiday in Lanzarote during the first ten months of 2008.
