The Foreign Promotion Society of Lanzarote (SPEL-Turismo Lanzarote) is finalizing the preparations to go next week to the International Tourism Fair of Madrid, Fitur 2019, which this year will be held between 23 and 27 January at IFEMA .
The president of the Cabildo, Pedro San Ginés (CC), together with the insular advisor of Tourism Promotion, Ángel Vázquez (PP) , will lead the Lanzarote delegation, in this 39th edition of which is considered one of the three most important tourism fairs of the world, has designed a tight work agenda with more than 20 activities and meetings focused mostly on national tourism. “It is a very interesting market for Lanzarote because of its level of spending and affinity with our destination, which is part of the objectives pursued within the SPEL-Turismo Lanzarote strategy of attracting a type of tourism that appreciates the experiences that offers the island and leave more spending at destination, “says Area Counselor Angel Vazquez.
In this sense, it should be noted that according to data from Promotur-Frontur, between January and November of 2018 Lanzarote received a total of 235,390 tourists from the Peninsula, compared to 224,161 tourists who came in the same period of 2017, which meant a 5% more increase in percentage terms.
In this framework, the SPEL-Turismo Lanzarote agenda will focus on the main and most powerful Spanish tour operatorssuch as Viajes El Corte Inglés, Eroski or Globalia (a national tourism group that integrates Air Europa, Travel Plan and Halcón Viajes), as well as wholesalers Nautalia and Soltour, among others. There will also be no meetings with the main airlines operating with the Peninsula, including Air Europa, Vueling, Iberia Express and Volotea, while strengthening the commitment to digital marketing. Within this objective, in addition to the planned meeting with the OTA (travel agency) Destinia, the SPEL-Turismo Lanzarote team has advanced in one day its work schedule prior to Fitur, to meet in Madrid, on Tuesday 22, with Logitravel and the digital platform Minube, considered the most important social travel network in Spain.
Uncertain situation of brexit
However, following the Lanzarote Tourism strategy of market diversification, meetings are also planned for the French tour operator Ô Vôyages (former Thalasso nº1) or Thomas Cook Belgium, among other European operators. Given the context in the United Kingdom, as a result of the brexit, there will also be meetings with operators of that market, among which stand out with TUI United Kingdom and the working breakfast that will take place with Jet2 & Jet2 Holidays, which has become the second tourist group of that country. In this sense, the Feria de Madrid will also serve to obtain first-hand information about the forecasts and possible scenarios that the tourism industry is currently facing. European Union in the face of the uncertain situation of the departure of the United Kingdom from the European Union.
Lanzarote Biosphere Destination and Smart Tourism
On the other hand, in addition to the national market and the promotion of the different product clubs, such as gastronomy and sports, in this edition of Fitur the work of the promotional entity will focus in a complementary way on strengthening the positioning of Lanzarote as a sustainable destination and in the strategy based on the so-called Tourist Intelligence.
In this line, Turismo Lanzarote will participate in the stand of Biosphere Destination Community (Biosphere Destination Community), an initiative that brings together all the destinations in the world that have received the prestigious Biosphere certification, where on Wednesday , January 23 a presentation will be made of our destiny emphasizing the trajectory that in environmental matter has characterized and positioned Lanzarote as a sustainable tourism model of reference worldwide, and in which special emphasis will be placed on the 25th anniversary of the island as a Biosphere Reserve and in commemoration in this year 2019 of the centenary of the birth of the most universal Lanzarote, César Manrique.
Also, that same day, previously, Turismo Lanzarote will also participate in the Forum of Innovation and Tourism Technology FiturtechY 2019. Within the same, the CEO of SPEL-Turismo Lanzarote, Héctor Fernández, will participate in the discussion table ‘The social impact of the tourism ‘, within the #techYsostenibilidad forum. It is an event that is parallel to the Fair itself, but of great strategic importance as it focuses on the efficient and sustainable management of tourism activity, which will be held under the slogan ‘Tourism of quality, sustainable and inclusive. Putting the destiny before the product.
In this regard, it should be noted that the insular promotion entity will sign an agreement with the company Mabrian Technologies (Big Data Platform for smart destinations) during the Feria de Madrid, which will allow SPEL-Turismo Lanzarote to have a source of information of great value for the tourist activity and the planning of tourist promotion strategies based on the tools of the so-called Tourist Intelligence.
