Ángel Vázquez defends price increases at Lanzarote's tourist centres

The CEO of the Centres for Art, Culture and Tourism of Lanzarote, Ángel Vázquez, asserts that the controversial price increase was necessary to preserve natural spaces and ensure their economic sustainability.

The Centres for Art, Culture and Tourism of Lanzarote have gone from being loss-making to generating 52 million euros in three years, according to their CEO, Ángel Vázquez. In an interview, the public manager defends that the increase in ticket prices and the implementation of time-slot reservations are not aimed at driving away tourists, but rather at organising visits and protecting unique spaces inherited from César Manrique.

A business management approach for public heritage

Vázquez reminds us that the centres are natural spaces transformed to be visitable without losing their essence. "We could not allow unique spaces in the world to cost six euros and be loss-making," he states. The public company, which manages places like the Cueva de los Verdes and the Jameos del Agua, applies business criteria to maintain the facilities and generate profits, as required by law.

The councillor rejects criticisms that speak of the privatisation of a natural asset. "These are public spaces located in a national park, and all we do is ensure their conservation," he explains. The average spending per visitor is around 31 euros, and the entity employs nearly 500 people.

The legacy of Manrique as a guide

Vázquez champions the figure of César Manrique, who understood before anyone else the model that Lanzarote needed. "He wanted to protect the island while making it visitable," he points out. The councillor believes that the management model of the centres can be exported to other tourist destinations, as long as sustainability and quality are prioritised over quantity.

For visitors, the measures have resulted in a change of habits. It is now necessary to book in advance at some centres and pay a higher price, but Vázquez insists that the experience has improved. "We detected inappropriate behaviours, such as people jumping into protected spaces to take photographs," he recalls.

The councillor concludes that the revenue of 52 million demonstrates that the model works. "Any public company that can be profitable should be. We do not live off taxes; we live off the activity we generate," he asserts.