The Cumbre Vieja volcano has been pouring lava for 41 days and experts consider that there is no prospect that the eruption will end soon. On the night of October 29th, up to 70 earthquakes were detected on the island of La Palma. What is a misfortune for some has become an attraction for others.
During the All Saints’ Day holiday it is estimated that 10,000 are visiting people the island. Boat and plane tickets were practically all sold out for the weekend, according to the Teodote Tourism Incentives Center (Centro de Iniciativas y Turismo de Tedote).These data represent the first positive economic figures since the volcano eruption began in mid-September.
In particular, flights from Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Madrid were full during the weekend. This is in addition to Frankfurt and Berlin. Three daily ships of the Norwegian company Fred Olsen and 2 of Naviera Armas will arrive at the port. Counting all these arrivals, the figure of more than 10,000 people who have come to the island at once to “enjoy” the view of the volcano in full eruption process when 41 days of its explosion is not so difficult to envision.
The president of the Teodote Tourism Incentives Center, Óscar León, clarified that those who spend the night in hotels have an average stay of 2 nights. But not all of them spend the night and also 30% of the tourist beds in La Palma are blocked because they are inside the exclusion zone linked to the volcanic eruption. Most of the rural houses and holiday homes do not rent for less than 3 nights. It is understood that this percentage of visits will generate a very good occupancy within the circumstances and compared to previous weeks.
A month ago, the hotel employers complained that the volcanic crisis paralyzed tourist reservations and reduced occupancy to 15%. Meanwhile, the president of the Government of the Canary Islands, Angel Victor Torres, has stated that this is the volcano that “has produced more damage in the territory, in private and public property, in homes, in farms and we still do not know when it will end.”
The volcanic eruption continues with the same pattern since a few days ago. The advance of the third flow is not unlikely, which could threaten the access road to Puerto Naos, a town that is not at risk. As for the air, the quality has improved, and the sulfur dioxide thresholds have not been exceeded in any of the measuring stations.
