Holidaymakers landing in Lanzarote may struggle to catch a cab to their hotels this Christmas amid a taxi shortage across the Canary Islands.
The Lanzarote Tourism Federation (FTL) has warned those seeking winter sun of numerous complaints from residents and tourists of a shortage of taxis to and from the airport, hotels and hospitality venues.
President of the FTL and Lanzarote’s Hotel & Apartment Owners Association (Asolan), Susana Perez, said: “We cannot allow the lack of taxis to ruin the experience of tourists or inconvenience residents. Imagine families with small children, waiting endlessly for a taxi after a three or four-hour flight.
“This is not the impression we want to give, especially at Christmas,” reported Canarian Weekly.
According to the outlet, businesses in the popular tourist municipality of Yaiza have been particularly affected by the strain on transport in a way that could damage the local economy.
The FTL has asked Lanzarote Cabildo’s Department of Transport to introduce measures, including a joint taxi service to improve the inadequate service.
This would allow vehicles from all municipalities on Lanzarote to operate at the airport. Under current legislation, only those from Arrecife, the island’s capital, can provide taxi services at the aviation hub.
Perez said the measure would help to meet demand, improve sustainability and reduce one-way trips for drivers to the airport by allowing them to pick up new fares.
In June, Rome moved to improve its taxi offerings for tourists ahead of the Jubilee year in 2025.
The city’s mayor said that the Italian city is to get thousands of new taxi licences and 2,000 new Uber permits, which would be active by December.
Rome formerly had just 7,800 taxis, with no new licences issued since 2006 – a horror for holidaymakers departing Rome’s main train station.
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