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14 | Gazette Life | July 2025GAZETTE | INTERVIEW%u201cTHE FOCUS SHOULD BE QUALITY, NOT NUMBERS%u201d In Part Two of the interview we carried out with Cabildo President Oswaldo Betancort in May we address the hot topics of tourism and housing. Last year, Lanzarote had more tourists and residents than ever before. How long can the island continue to grow?The focus should not be on the number of tourists, but on the quality of the destination. Uncontrolled growth puts pressure on basic services such as housing, healthcare, and infrastructure. This debate is not exclusive to Lanzarote; it%u2019s present in every successful tourist destination around the world. Therefore, the important thing is to take action - not just worry - by equipping ourselves with the legal and governance tools to manage this growth sustainably.What is your response to the criticisms of the Canarias Tiene Un L%u00edmite and their demands for \ of natural spaces and an eco-tax, a tourism and holiday moratorium... regulation of home purchases by foreigners, and a Residency Law\All of these issues are currently on the table in the islands and other tourist areas. There is talk of taxation and eco-taxes, and there are already concrete examples: Teide National Park in Tenerife will charge for access, for example, and in Lanzarote, areas such as the Tourist Centers or Papagayo have operated payment scheme for their preservation for years. Regarding the regulation of home purchases by foreigners, this is also being discussed in various forums. Furthermore, the Canary Islands and Lanzarote are fragile and limited areas, so I believe it is also time to move forward with the debate on a Residency Law. We cannot ignore these demands, but rather work on formulas to address them, ensuring that the decisions made have the widest possible reach and consensus.Tourists are now more independent than ever, resulting in increased