La Graciosa reopens to tourists today, with ferry company Lineas Romero operating 10 daily journeys to and from the island. The ferry company announced that “the eighth Canary island is now open for all Canarian residents to enjoy.”
La Graciosa is now in the second week of Phase 3, which allows free movement within the Canaries, and is scheduled to enter the “new normality” next Monday. The island has remained free of coronavirus throughout the lockdown, and is hoping that its “Covid-free” status may prove an attraction.
La Graciosa has already spent weeks preparing for the re-establishment of tourism, and the Citizens’ Participation department of Teguise Ayuntamiento has been giving training courses and talks relating to virus prevention to bars, restaurants, transport and tourism businesses on the island. The skeleton ferry service available up to now has been running compulsory temperature checks on all travellers, and will continue to do so.
Alicia Páez of Teguise Ayuntamiento said “our aim is that we all walk hand-in-hand towards reactivating the island’s economy, guided by professionals and ensuring that visitors arrive on La Graciosa free of the virus, and that they also leave without it.”
La Graciosa’s initiative is likely to be joined by a strong push to promote tourism within all the Canaries until safe corridors are established with mainland Spain and other countries. Binter Airlines have already increased the numbers of inter-island flights, and will add even more next Monday, and on the 1st July, when there will be over 100 flights daily.
With a shortage of international tourists, local residents who are lucky enough to have the funds for holidays could be facing a once-in-a lifetime opportunity to enjoy the Canaries at their least crowded.
Lineas Romero’s ferries leave from Órzola to Caleta de Sebo at 08:40, 11:00, 12:30, 16:00 and 18:00 daily, while return voyages back to Lanzarote will be at 10:00, 12:00, 13:30, 17:00 and 19:00. From Monday to Friday extra routes are also available at 08:00 from Caleta de Sebo, 08:40 from Órzola.
