Lanzarote Living

Mixed news for Lanzarote´s tourist industry in July.  In the form of encouraging occupancy figures for Lanzarote hotels and apartment complexes.  Tempered by an ongoing decline in total foreign visitor numbers of just over 18%.  According to the latest figures recently released by ASOLAN and AENA respectively.

After a truly disastrous May – when the number of beds filled in the islands hotels fell to an all time low of 49.1% - July’s occupancy figures of 70.93% could be viewed as massive improvement. 

But not so much so when seen from a year on year perspective.  As the July figures are still down by 9% versus the same month in 2008, whilst cumulatively the number of tourist beds filled for the year to date trails last year’s figures by 11.08%.

Of all of Lanzarote’s resorts Puerto del Carmen appears to be bearing the main brunt of the credit crunch.  With total occupancy levels in the resort falling to 67.19% last month from 80.75% in July 2008.  By comparison, the number of beds filled in Playa Blanca fell by 8.86% for the same period.  Whilst Costa Teguise, surpisingly, showed little change on last year – with an overall occupancy figure just minus 0.76%.

Apartments in Puerto del Carmen have been the worst affected accommodation type – down by 15.47%.  Followed closely by apart-hotels in Playa Blanca – down by 15.02% and four star hotels in Puerto del Carmen, which welcomed 14.49% fewer guests last month.

Overall tourist numbers continue to decline too.  With the latest AENA figures showing a shortfall of just over 18% last month versus 2008 figures.  As the island welcomed 114,397 fewer arrivals.  Down from 139,625 in July 2008.
The British market remains the hardest hit.  Reflecting the vulnerability of the UK as consumers come to terms with not only the credit crunch but also the deprecation of sterling against the euro.  With UK arrivals falling by over 20% from 77,746 visitors in July 2008 to 60,351 last month.

The islands’ other key markets, Germany and Eire, continue to show shortfalls too.  With visitors numbers from the Republic down by 17.3% and from Germany by 7.68% (albeit a less steep decline than in previous months). Cumulatively, for the year to date, British tourism is now down by 20.39%, whilst the Irish and German markets have declined by 16.78% and 12.61% respectively