A Town in Transition: Arrecife’s Tourism Transformation

Lanzarote’s capital, Arrecife, has changed a lot in recent years. Once little-known to tourists, it has now become one of the most popular locations on the island. We recently spoke to Eli Merino, who has been in charge of Arrecife’s Tourist Department since 2023.

What is the model for tourism in Arrecife? is it succeeding?

For many years Arrecife was not regarded as a tourist area. It was the ugly duckling of Lanzarote’s municipalities, and tour operators and guides would not recommend visiting the city.

Around six years ago a round table was held which included hotels, tour operators, guides, tourist associations, taxi drivers, hire car firms, political parties and security forces, among others. The aim was to assess the commercial future of Arrecife.

Previously, the town centre was a place where people would come to shop for clothes, shoes, supplies etc, and there were strong fears that the arrival of the Open Mall would damage smaller businesses.

But the Open Mall means more people are now coming to Arrecife to shop, while the city centre is more focused on restaurants and cafes. The area around the charco is an example of that.

We’ve started turning that around in recent years to such an extent that Arrecife is now the second- most popular excursion on the island after Timanfaya. From an estimated 50,000 tourists a year, we now receive around two million.

Many of those will be cruise passengers. What is your response to those who claim that cruise tourism brings little money to the island?

They’re wrong. The average cruise passenger spends around €200 on excursions, shopping, restaurants etc.

It’s also not taken into account that the cruisers often buy supplies here, especially if we’re the first stop after a few days at sea. There are successful businesses that have been set up to provide local products such as fruit and vegetables to the cruisers.

Certain companies have told us that they have chosen to set up in Arrecife rather than the resorts because of the opportunities available.

So there’s going to be no reduction in cruises. We’ll continue to talk to operators at the trade fairs, and we also want to end the “closed season” for cruisers, so that they can come all year round. It’s a type of tourism that doesn’t take up much land, that doesn’t pollute the city, that brings tourists with money and a thirst for culture, and which benefits the island by millions of euros.

What about tourist accommodation?

The new Canarian law on holiday rentals will allow us to close down apartments that don’t reach the required standard and get rid of low-quality rentals. We’re also granting licences for hostels in Arrecife which will help meet the increased demand for tourist accommodation.

What are the plans for the old fish market on the seafront?

This will be part of new initiative to renew this area. Visitors will be able to visit the market downstairs, while there will be a tasting area for food and wine upstairs – where there are great views. The Recova (the old market courtyard behind the Ayuntamiento) will be re-opened with groceries and other local products on sale, and there are plans to move the Saturday market in the Plaza de las Palmeras to the seafront, as current regulations only permit a half-dozen stalls.

We’re currently carrying out a campaign called Que Bien Me Sabe Arrecife (Arrecife Tastes Good To Me) which will accompany this renovation, bringing folk music, traditional crafts, and food and drink to the area.

Are there any other things you’d like to get done?

I think the museum in the Castillo de San Gabriel could do with a facelift. It’s been the same old mummies for years, and I’d also like to continue with the renovation of the Manrique trail.

We’d also like to tackle the area of La Rocar, between the seafront and the marina. The land there is privately owned by families who are currently fighting against the coastal department, which has established a limit of 100-metre from the shore in which development is not permitted. Currently, there’s a small zone where only vertical, high-rise building may be possible, but we’re opposed to that. It’s also important to connect the different parts of the capital, and that’s why we’re considering bringing back the train that was discontinued several years ago.