The number of British tourists visiting Lanzarote rose by nearly 4% last month, according to the latest data just released by ISTAC, the Canarian Institute of Statistics. Whilst other key markets such as Germany and Eire also recorded positive growth. However arrivals from mainland Spain dropped sharply by nearly 12%, leaving overall tourist numbers down by 1.56% in August.

Whilst foreign tourist arrivals rose last month by 7.9%, the number of tourists arriving on flights to Lanzarote from Spain fell by 11.9% from 69,626 to 61,431 passengers. Leaving overall visitor numbers for last month down versus August 2010 by 1.56%.

Of the201,702 total tourist arrivals recorded in August the UK accounted for 77,601 of these. Whilst German arrivals totaled 23,104 passengers (up 7.9%) and Eire 17,461 (up 1.1%). Italy emerged as the islands fifth largest tourist market during August, as arrivals climbed by 83% to 5,086 passengers, reflecting the greater number of flights available from that country with Ryanair. However the Dutch market, formerly the fifth largest, fell by just over 50%, to 2,077 arrivals.

Overall total visitor numbers for the year now stand at 1,373,724 arrivals - an increase of 8.06% versus the same period in 2010.