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Lanzarote: Doing business & staying in touch
Doing business in Lanzarote
If anything, Lanzarote's business people are even more laid back than those on Tenerife and Gran Canaria. You're about as likely to see a man in a suit, shirt and tie as you are an umbrella manufacturer, and business transactions are almost always conducted over a glass of wine or on the golf course.
Don't expect appointments to be set in concrete, mas o menos (more or less) is the mantra that applies to most aspects of life on Lanzarote and business is no exception. Equally, formal contracts are rarely issued and even more rarely enforced; business is concluded by a shake of the hand and a slap on the back.
In line with the example set by the island's favourite son, César Manrique, there's a rich vein of entrepreneurship and creativity running through Lanzarote, which has spawned thousands of self-employed businesspeople who capitalise on market opportunities wherever they crop up.
If manufacturing is scarce in the Canary Islands, it's conspicuous by its absence on Lanzarote. Having lurched from one monoculture to another during its turbulent economic history, Lanzarote's pecuniary fortunes have run the gamut of sugar, wine, cochineal, salt and fishing before settling into its biggest ever earner – tourism.
With the island's burgeoning reputation as a sports destination, this specialised group within the tourism industry is playing an increasingly important role. Allied to tourism, the island's construction industry is showing signs of finally casting off the crippling effects of the crisis and thanks to those looking to retire to the sun, its property market is surprisingly buoyant.
Keeping in Touch in Lanzarote
Roaming agreements exist with most international mobile phone companies. Coverage is good across most of the island.
There are efficient internal and international postal services (correos) to all countries. Airmail within Europe usually takes around five days.
In the press El Independiente and Canarias 7 are Spanish dailies covering the Canary Islands whilst El Dia is a pro-independence, Spanish daily with a wide readership, covering all the islands. La Voz is a local Spanish-language newspaper published in Lanzarote and Lanzarote Gazette (http://gazettelife.com) is an English-language magazine and tourist guide.
Broadcasting in Spain has witnessed a spectacular expansion in recent years with the emergence of new commercial operators and the launch of digital services. TV Canaria and TV Canaria 2 are local channels for the islands whilst state-owned TVE operates TV-1 (La Primera) and TV-2 (La Dos). Antena 3, La Cuatro, Telecinco and La Sexta are privately run channels. With regards to radio RNE is state-run and operates Radio 1, Radio Clasica, Radio 3 and Radio 5. Cadena SER, Onda Cero and Cadena 40 Principales are popular commercial stations. whilst PowerFM is an English-language radio station broadcasting from Lanzarote and Tenerife.
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