The Lanzarote tourist Federation has expressed its “deep concern” about the recent cancellation of the XI edition of the Ultrabike Lanzarotewhich had to be suspended a few hours after its beginning due to causes outside the organization. From the FTL they remember that “it is not the first time that a sporting event of these characteristics is suspended at the last moment by delay of the reports, administrative authorizations that are emitted in extremis without maneuvering margin for changes, which reflects a structural problem that slows the development of initiatives linked to sports and active tourism on the island.”
“The cancellation of the Ultrabike, with the entire device already underway, is not only a damage to the organizers, the athletes and the spectators, but also for the international image and the local economy of Lanzarote,” said the president of the Federation, Susana Pérez, who stressed that this type of event is an essential part of the necessary process of diversification of the tourist offer of the island. “We still do not advance effectively in a line that has been raised as strategic for years,” he added.
The event, which has international projection and mobilizes hundreds of participants -many of them from abroad, not only generates a direct economic impact on the accommodation, restoration or trade sector, but also encourages self -employment and development of entrepreneurial initiatives around sport, healthy leisure and nature. “We talk about a whole network of professionals and small local businesses that are harmed by these last minute decisions,” emphasizes the FTL.
In this sense, from the employer they warn that these cancellations join the difficulties that many active tourism companies already face – such as hiking, cycling or outdoor activities – to operate normally on the island. “The legal insecurity, the lack of agility in the procedures and the delay of the procedures discouraged the private initiative. It also cries out to heaven that Lanzarote does not yet have an official network of trails such as other islands which prevents a tourist model of nature, sustainable and quality that is so proclaimed.”
Therefore, the Lanzarote Tourist Federation urges public administrations to Establish clear protocolswith foreseeable and coordinated deadlines that guarantee the legal certainty of these events and allow them to plan them with the necessary guarantees. “It is essential that the rules are clear from the beginning and that all the areas involved act in a coherent, coordinated and agile way, to avoid new cancellations at the last minute,” says Susana Pérez.
It also warns that “this lack of predictability and coordination is also affecting other key segments such as MICE tourism (meetings, incentives, congresses and events), where Lanzarote loses competitiveness to other destinations.”
The FTL insists that “the development of sports tourism, active and events is one of the most sustainable and unstacilities of the island supply, and that its impulse requires political will, a facilitating administration with the necessary involvement between the foreign promotion society of Lanzarote and the Cabildo.” “We cannot afford to lose opportunities for avoidable issues or aspects,” concludes the president of the tourist employer.
