Could the pain in Spain finally be coming to an end? After a year of dramatic double digit falls in arrival numbers and record low occupancy levels in hotels, villas and apartments in Lanzarote there are at last some signs for optimism. As the rate of decline in visitor numbers on the fourth largest Canary Island fell markedly last month. According to the latest figures just released by the Spanish airport authority AENA. Whilst arrivals from Germany – Lanzarote´s second largest market – actually rose.

The first signs of positive growth so far this year. Much like the rest of Spain and the Canaries Lanzarote´s economy has been hit hard by the economic events of the last twelve months. As the island is heavily dependent on tourism, which accounts for around 80% of GDP. A position further excaberated by a heavy reliance on arrivals from the UK – a market which accounts for around 50% of all foreign visitors. And which has fallen even more sharply over the last twelve months – thanks to the added impact of the on going deprecation of sterling against the euro.

This has resulted in a near 20% decline in visitor numbers from the UK across the first ten months of this year. Whilst overall the totals number of foreign arrivals has fallen by 16.87%. A figure which equates to 226,291 fewer tourists spending their holidays in Lanzarote, versus 2008 figures.

However there are now some indications that there may be a brighter outlook ahead for island tourism. As AENA´s latest figures reveal that the number of foreign tourists arriving on flights to Lanzarote fell last month by ‘just 8.17%’ – a figure almost half that of previous months this year. Whilst for the first time during the course of 2009 a key national market – Germany – has actually recorded some positive growth. With the number of arrivals from that country rising – from 19,912 passengers in October 2009 to 20,418 last month.

Further good news arrived last week too. As AENA announced that they would continue to waive airport taxes and charges for the duration of 2010. A move that should help to maintain increased competition on this route. As a number of low cost operators such as Ryanair and easy Jet have initiated new services to the island, attracted by the removal of these charges. Which initially were only set to be in place until the end of March 2010.

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