Holiday rentals news - Spain launches 'friendliness' campaign in Lanzarote

Spain launches 'friendliness' campaign in Lanzarote

A new initiative in the Canary Islands is teaching locals to be friendlier to holidaymakers. Concerned by falling visitor numbers, the Lanzarote Chamber of Commerce hopes to shed the "grumpy" image of those involved in the tourism trade on the island.

"We are aware that Spaniards are not seen as overly friendly by British holidaymakers and we want to change that grumpy image," said a spokesman for the Lanzarote Chamber of Commerce. "If we want to keep British tourists coming back year after year and encouraging their friends to visit, we must be cheerier and friendlier to them."

According to The Telegraph, as part of the scheme taxi drivers, shopkeepers and others working in the tourism industry are being invited to attend "friendliness seminars". Holidaymakers renting villas in Lanzarote can also soon expect to be greeted with "make yourself at home" and other English phrases that the workers are being asked to learn.

Workers will be taught "the importance of smiling" and to "demonstrate [to holidaymakers] that their visit is appreciated". Taxi drivers will be reminded they should be especially welcoming, as they are often the first point of contact for visitors arriving on Lanzarote. They will be told not to drive too fast and to ensure that their vehicles smell nice.

Workers are also advised to learn local knowledge such as how many days of sunshine Lanzarote has each year. It is recommended that tourists are greeted with a smile, which "costs nothing and is the most effective welcome". To help workers, an English language guide will be distributed at the seminars for them to take home and study.

It is hoped that the pilot scheme, costing 40,000 euros, will be successful and extended to other Spanish resorts. The number of British holidaymakers visiting Spain fell by 23.4 per cent in February compared to the same time in 2008. Approximately 13.8m Britons visited Spain last year, but this figure is expected to be much lower in 2009 due to the pound's poor performance against the euro, leading people to holiday outside of the eurozone.

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