Entries Tagged 'Lanzarote' ↓

Lanzarote´s tourist industry continues to defy the credit crunch.  As foreign visitor numbers for the year to date continue to outstrip 2007 figures – with British tourists leading the way, up by 6.4% for the period January to September end.  According to figures recently released by the Spanish airport operators AENA.

Lanzarote has long been a firm favourite with British and Irish tourists.  Attracting over one million visitors from these two countries alone during 2007.  And these two markets continue to drive the industry today – with British tourist numbers up substantially for the year to date and Irish visitor figures up by 1.7%.

Many island observers feared that the falling pound, failing airlines and crashing consumer confidence would have an adverse effect on Lanzarote´s tourist industry. But to date it has remained surpsingly buoyant – with operators such as Monarch actually increasing the number of flights to Lanzarote and foreign visitor numbers overall showing an increase of 1.6% to September end.

Arguably, this is attributable to the fact that many of these holidays were booked in advance of the credit crunch taking hold.  But many holiday operators dispute this – claiming that the bulk of their bookings have been of a more last minute nature. With both British and Irish consumers viewing a holiday as more of an essential than a luxury item.  A factor further aided by the fact that there is a good availability of cheap flights to Lanzarote in both market places.

Certainly visitor numbers from some other parts of Europe have indeed fallen back this year.  The German tourist market, Lanzarote´s second largest, for example appears to be continuing a longer term decline – with visitor numbers down by 12% to date this year.  With Italian, Dutch and French tourists also showing a marked decrease.

But to a large extent these holes have been plugged by increases in visitor numbers from markets such as Scandinavia – once a major source of tourists for Lanzarote.  With Finland (up 16.2%), Sweden (41.1%) and Norway (21.9%) all registering substantial increases during the fist nine months of 2008.

Overall, 1,205, 94 foreign visitors have passed through Arrecife aiport during the period from January to September end.  With the UK accounting for over half of these passenger numbers, with 632,445 tourists.  Germany remains in second place with 206,176 visitors – hotly pursued by Ireland with 169,681 visitors.

Lanzarote´s grand dame of tourism is about to undergo a facelift.  As big plans are afoot to transform the island’s main resort of Puerto del Carmen into a stylish, upmarket holiday destination.  Replete with a new luxury marina and golf course. A project that is likely to have a positive impact on the price of property in Puerto del Carmen and the surrounding environs in the medium to long term.

Formerly a small fishing village called La Tiñosa, Puerto del Carmen has long been the engine room of both the Lanzarote property market and the islands tourist industry.  Thanks to a year round clement climate that attracts both tourists and overseas investors in droves.

The resort has also long been the hub of British and Irish expatriate life on the island. And is home to the bulk of the 6,000 plus officially registered residents from Eire and the UK that have made Lanzarote their permanent home.  So creating demand for relocation, long term rental and commercial property in addition to those seeking to invest in holiday rental property.

But over the last few years the resort has started to look in need of an MOT and oil change. As the effects of over thirty years as a popular package holiday destination have taken their toll on both facilities and infrastructure.  Raising the fear that Puerto del Carmen could start losing vital tourist trade to newer, fresher competitors around the world.

Nowhere has this deterioration been more apparent than on Puerto del Carmen´s main beachfront strip – the Avenida del las Playas.  Where pedestrians come a poor second to cars and have to fight for pavement space with each other.  Set against a garish backdrop of neon lit bars and restaurants.  Creating an outdated and some would say downmarket image  – in what is meant to be the main shop window for tourism not just in the resort but on the island as a whole.

In order to maintain Puerto del Carmen’s competitiveness as a desirable holiday destination island authorities have pressed the button on a multi million euro project to “reinvent” tourism in the resort.  Encompassing a number of initiatives such as the part pedestrainisation of the Avenida de las Playas and the harmonisation of shop fronts and fascias.  In order to create a more aesthetically pleasing tourist offering.

But the main plank of the project remains the plan to transform the Old Town harbour area (currently home to a few fishing boats and excursion vessels) into an upmarket marina.  With moorings for luxury cruisers and yachts.  A move that is designed to attract a more affluent type of tourist to the area.  Whilst also providing competition for the hugely successful marina at nearby Puerto Calero, just a few miles down the coastline.  Where property prices command a serious premium.

 Along with the opening of a new golf course (still only the second on the island) on the edge of town this year these moves seem likely to sustain both tourist numbers and property prices in Puerto del Carmen over the medium term.  Regardless of the current condition of property markets worldwide.

Monarch airlines has announced the addition of extra flights to Lanzarote and other hot spots in the Canary Islands this winter.  As the low cost flight operator anticipates increased demand for winter holidays amongst British consumers – despite the current economic conditions.

Extra flights to Lanzarote will be departing from major UK airports such as Gatwick, Manchester and Birmingham throughout the Christmas and New Year period.

According to Liz Savage from Monarch:” The additional flights are great news for Monarch customers looking to get away this Christmas. Early indicators show that our customers are considering the Christmas getaway as important as ever and are continuing to snap up Monarch’s low fares in their droves. With 64 additional flights being added into the flying programme offering in excess of 12,000 further seats, getting away for Christmas has never been easier”.

Monarch has in fact already beefed up services to Lanzarote during October in order to cope with increased demand across the half term break.  With extra flights from Gatwick departing to Arrecife airport every Thursday.

Owners of apartments and holiday villas in Lanzarote will be amongst the main beneficiaries of this increase in business.  As hotels only account for one third of Lanzarote´s official tourist capacity of around 65,000 beds. With the rest allocated to apartment complexes and privately owned holiday properties.

Despite the credit crunch demand for holidays in Lanzarote has remained buoyant in both the UK and Ireland.  With visitor numbers from both of these countries up versus 2007 figures for the year to date.

In a further vote of confidence for the islands tourist industry newly launched airline Kiss Flights – an operation set up by Gatwick based aviation broking company Meridian Aviation – has also entered the market.  And have just started selling seats to Lanzarote for the summer 2009 season.

Despite failing airlines, falling currencies and the current gloomy economic outlook the number of foreign tourists visiting Lanzarote continues to rise. According to figures recently released by the Spanish airport authority AENA.

Overall, foreign visitor numbers to the Island of Fire have increased by 3.4% during the first eight months of 2008 (versus 2007 figures). Numbering 1,092, 892 holiday makers. With tourists from the UK, Lanzarote´s largest market, leading the way and accounting for well over half of this total, with 571,851 visitors to August end. An increase of 7.9% on 2007.

The Irish are also evidently reluctant to surrender their holidays abroad – and are now firmly established as Lanzarote´s third most important market (after Germany). With a total of 150,003 tourists from Eire touching down at Arrecife airport during the first eight months of this year. An increase of 4.7% on the previous year’s figures.

The only negative note comes from the German market – where visitor numbers are continuing in their longer term downwards pattern of decline. Falling 10.2% so far on 2007 – as German tourists opt for other destinations.

The majority of British and Irish visitors will be staying in apartments or holiday villas in Lanzarote. As of the islands overall official capacity of 65,293 tourist beds only 25,196 are accounted for by hotels. With the rest taken up by apartment complexes and private villas.

This in turn ensures that whilst the level of demand for Lanzarote property is way below that of previous years there is no sign of complete paralysis in the market. As currently appears to be the case in the UK. With overseas buyers still showing interest in holiday rental properties on the island, particularly at the cheaper end of the market.

As a result prices have, to date, remained relatively stable. With only vendors who are forced by circumstance to sell needing to resort to significant price reductions in order to induce and attract buyers.

That being said all of the islands largest estate agents are reporting a significant decrease in transactions versus 2007 – with many also anticipating a tough trading year ahead in 2009.