The Canary Islands Tourist Board today unveil their half million euro display stand at the World Travel Market trade fair. Taking place at the Excel Centre in East London. In a bid to reverse the decline in tourist numbers which has hit Lanzarote and the other islands in the archipelago hard over the last year.
The World Travel Market is one of the travel worlds largest trade events. Attracting around 50,000 people. And the Canary Island stand will certainly be hard to miss – as it measures 823 square meters and is one of the biggest at the exhibition.
The tourist board is focusing on the messages of volcanic experience”, “wellness delight”, “family welcome” and “water sports experience”. In a bid to reposition the islands as Europe’s leading winter sun resort. A communication which is further supported by their €7 million “beat the winter blues” advertising campaign which is currently airing in key markets such as the UK, Ireland and Germany. Along with Spain, France, Sweden, Denmark, Austria, Italy, Belgium, Holland, Switzerland, Finland, and Norway.
Pualino Rivero, the President of the Canarian Government is in attendance and will be inaugurating the stand this morning. With hopes pinned on rekindling British tourist’s love affair with the islands. Which has waned over the last eighteen months thanks to the economic crisis and the ongoing weakness of sterling against the euro.
The UK is Lanzarote´s most important market. So far to date this year the number of British holidaymakers taking their holidays in Lanzarote has fallen by nearly 20%, versus the same period in 2008. A figure which is a couple of percentage points ahead of the overall decline in foreign tourist numbers of 17.8%.
