The tour operator Thalasso no.1 will double the number of French tourists who will travel to Fuerteventura next year

150 travel agents from the tour operator have been invited by the Tourism Board to see what the island offers in general and specific welfare and health

More than half of French people who come to the Canaries travel to Fuerteventura

The tour operator No. 1 Thalasso today announced it will double by 2010 the number of tour packages offered to travel to Fuerteventura, which will mean reaching a figure close to 50,000 visitors. The island of Fuerteventura has been so far this year the first of the Canary Islands in French tourists received, with over 50% of the archipelago.

The announcement took place today at a press conference held at the Cabildo, in the words of CEO of this company specializing in wellness and health tourism. Raouf Benslimane, alongside the president of the Corporation island, Mario Cabrera, the Minister of Tourism of the Cabildo, Agueda Montelongo, and the councilman of Tourism of La Oliva, Blas Acosta, gave details of fam trip large scale to take place in the south of the island in two weeks.

147 travel agents will come from all regions of France who may know in depth the tourist offer of Fuerteventura between 16 and 19 December, participating in an initiative organized by the Tourist Board with the collaboration of Promotur and R2 hotel chain, which arose in the agenda of meetings held by the council at the last World Travel Market in London.

"We want to consolidate Fuerteventura as our main destination in the Canaries, and we intend to increase next year on 25,000 packages offered to the island and thus try to reach the figure of 40 or 50,000 tourists," said Benslimane. He said the company they run is going to put all its promotional potential to raise awareness of the island on the market in the French market.

According to CEO Thalasso No. 1, "Fuerteventura has a front-line hotel infrastructure, which also is accompanied by a stunning range of beach, wellness, activities for families, protected nature, landscapes, characteristics that ultimately are prized by French tourists.

Agueda Montelongo explained that the agreement with Thalasso No 1 "is in line to diversify the market, as has indicated in the sectoral tables. The French market was a niche that we had to address, so that the close presence of these 147 vendors touroperadar will allow us to take roots in the minds of the French, making the charge of promoting the Island live in person the wonders of Fuerteventura.

Mario Cabrera recalled that "since we sat down with Mr. Benslimane in London, and he told us what was the profile and tourist interests with which they work, we knew she was destined to Fuerteventura. Let's get your people who visit soon travel the island from north to south, and know why we Biosphere Reserve and why the island is considered the beach of Europe ".

Councilor Tourism also spoke of the need to allocate financial resources for the promotion of tourism as an effective formula to increase air links, and with them the whole island economy with respect to the creation of jobs. Raouf Benslimane also expressed this line, arguing that in times of crisis we must go for original alternatives and offer a difference, and in this sense Fuerteventura meets all requirements.

Blas Acosta welcomed the French touroperdor Fuerteventura and south of the island "For Pájara is very important that these 150 sellers want to know. From the town in which they are going to offer to host peace, and to demonstrate our commitment to nature and our hospitality in the following years to continue working with us, "said Council of Tourism.

Fam trip

This fam trip is organized by the Tourist Board, supported by the funding provided under the actions Promotur club products 'wellness delight'.

Within the business plan fam trip highlights the internal training of staff through initiatives such as conducting a workshopThe visit to the main spa and beauty in the island, or the performance of different tourist routes through the island

French Market Statistics

Canary has received so far this year 65,547 French, 34,454 of whom came to Fuerteventura. This represents a 52.6% of French tourists who visited the archipelago throughout the year.

When compared to other islands, we see that, compared to 34,454 who have come to Fuerteventura, only 844 have done to Gran Canaria to Tenerife 28,586, and 1,663 to Lanzarote.

Moreover, contrary to the trend of decline that we were having with the market in some months of 2009 due to the crisis, in October the French arrived to Fuerteventura has increased by 23.22% over the same month of 2008.

Tourist Board

cabildo fuerteventura

Puerto del Rosario, 27 November 2009.

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