Green Light For Airport Expansion
The quality of tourist facilities on Lanzarote is set to receive a boost. As plans to further improve and expand the facilities at Arrecife airport have been given the go ahead by the Cabildo, Lanzarote´s governing body.
A €1.5 million project to remodel the existing Terminal 1 – currently used by British and Irish tourists – will encompass an expansion of the building by some 53,000 square metres to accommodate 15 new boarding gates in departures and seven new luggage reclaim belts in arrivals.
The project is expected to take 34 months to complete and will enhance the capacity of Terminal 1 to handle increased passenger numbers from both international and Spanish mainland airports.
The announcement comes on the back of a 2% upswing in passenger numbers during May (versus May 2006). As airport authority AENA announced that arrivals topped the 400,000 mark for the month.
Irish Visitor Numbers Continue to Rise
Lanzarote´s position as Ireland’s favourite Spanish holiday destination has been further cemented. According to figures just released by AENA.
Statistics compiled by the airport authority show that visitor numbers from the Republic are up by 3.7% for the first quarter of 2007. Totalling 58,679 visitors to date this year.
These figures now firmly establish the Irish as the third largest group of visitors by nationality, behind the British – who recorded 266,904 visits and the Germans, with 113,995 visits over the same period.
The figures are all the more remarkable when allowance is made for the disparity in population between the Republic and the UK and Germany.
Total visitor numbers for the first quarter of 2007 were 565,773 – a figure that is in fact 3.8% down versus the same period for 2006.
Hoteliers predict 85% Summer Occupancy
Lanzarote´s hoteliers are predicting an occupancy level of 85% this summer. According to figures released by the Canarian Institute of Statistics.
The CIS poll reveals that the hotel sector anticipates the highest volume of occupancy in August – the traditional peak summer month. When figures are expected to rise above 80% in all classes of accommodation. However, this figure is also expected to be surpassed in July – albeit in four and five star establishments only.
The report further indicates that island hoteliers foresee the continuing arrival of British and Irish tourists, but fear a potential drop in the number of German guests.
Around 65% of the interviewees thought that the number of Scandinavian tourists would continue to decline whilst the sector thought that the number of visitors from Spain would rise by 80%.
Centres of Art and Culture Report Drop in Visitor Numbers
Lanzarote´s main tourist attractions may be becoming less attractive.
That is one possible conclusion that can be drawn from the figures recently released by the Centres of Art, Culture and Tourism. Which revealed that admissions to the islands biggest attractions –such as Timanfaya Volcano Park and the Jameos del Agua – were down by 27,000 visitors in May. Representing the worst figures for admissions recorded in 14 years.
This downturn can be partly explained by the fact that strike action effectively closed the tourist centres for three days during May. However, these figures follow hard on the heels of equally disappointing admissions for the preceding month of April, which were also down drastically on previous years.
Summer Sales
Tourists visiting Lanzarote this month can take advantage of the advent of the islands summer sales period. As shops across Lanzarote offer big discounts on their existing stock from now until September 2nd.
Manrique Murals Uncovered
Two previously lost murals by island born artist and architect Cesar Manrique have recently been discovered.
The murals are thought to have been created by the artist in 1947 at the Casa de la Cultura Agustín de la Hoz in Arrecife. And were uncovered by workmen who are currently refurbishing the building.
Analysis of the murals is being undertaken under the aegis of the Cesar Manrique Foundation in order to ascertain whether or not they can be fully recovered and restored.
