Lanzarote has taken a prominent position at the World Travel Market (WTM) in London, the world’s most influential tourism fair, with a clear objective to attract visitors with greater spending power.
The opening day of the key event for the vital British market saw the island’s delegation, led by the Cabildo of Lanzarote through SPEL-Turismo Lanzarote, embark on a packed schedule of institutional and professional meetings.
The day commenced with the official inauguration of the Canary Islands stand, an event attended by high-level Spanish officials including the Secretary of State for Tourism, Rosario Sánchez, and the Spanish ambassador to the United Kingdom, José Pascual Marco. They were joined by representatives from all seven Canary Island councils and officials from Promotur Islas Canarias.
The Lanzarote delegation, headed by the island’s President and Minister of Tourism, Oswaldo Betancort, conducted a series of strategic meetings with the United Kingdom’s leading travel companies. These included major tour operators such as Jet2holidays, Loveholidays, and EasyJet Holidays, airlines, and online agencies like Expedia and Tripadvisor. The talks focused on strengthening air links, ensuring the loyalty of British visitors, and attracting a tourist profile that spends more, particularly those drawn to nature, culture, gastronomy, and sports.
President Betancort gave a “very positive” assessment of the island’s participation. “We have sold the island of Lanzarote, an island that protects 60% of its territory, which seeks tourists who value that protection, sustainability, and respect for the environment. At the same time, tourists who generate a more profitable economy and have greater purchasing power.”
“That is why we have signed a protocol here in the United Kingdom with the main airline, British Airways. I believe this is a turning point. We are trying to continue with this decline in tourism: Lanzarote is the island with the lowest growth in tourism but the highest revenue in the destination. The key is for residents to see tourists as part of the solution to our problems. I am deeply satisfied and determined to continue selling this jewel in the crown that is Lanzarote and La Graciosa,” he continued.
For his part, the CEO of SPEL-Turismo Lanzarote, Héctor Fernández, stressed the critical importance of the British market and the professional approach taken at the fair. “Expectations are high and in line with the relevance of the market. The United Kingdom is our main source of tourists, and we are attending the World Travel Market with a professional and responsible work plan, seeking partners who can provide a more qualified vision and a profile of British tourists that generates more value at the destination and greater spending in the tourism value chain. So we are attending with this ambition and with a commitment to continue positioning Lanzarote as a leading destination in sustainability and quality,” he concluded.
The first day’s events were scheduled to conclude with two significant engagements: an exclusive corporate event by Jet2holidays for its top partners, and the official reception at the Spanish Embassy in London, which will bring together the nation’s principal tourism authorities. This active first day sees Turismo Lanzarote solidify its role within the Canary Islands’ presence at WTM 2025, presenting the destination as a benchmark for sustainability, innovation, and quality. This push comes just ahead of the celebration of the World Charter for Sustainable Tourism +30, which will be held on the island on November 28.
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