Corporate Social Responsibility in the Tourism Industry: the Case of Lanzarote Island

It is common to see healthy relationships developed between the local population and those responsible for the development of tourism, but this is not the case in Lanzarote.
Generally, the Lanzaroteños seem to be very distant from tourist business operations. This is caused by the unbalanced circulation of capital, which does not remain on the island but goes to external entities, such as international shareholders belonging to mass tour operators or hotel chains. Obviously, these agents dominate the management of the accommodation sector on the island and thus directly gain profit at the expense of host communities.
Though Lanzarote still cannot be classified as an overcrowded destination, it is slowly reaching its maximum capacity. According to the locals, the incoming tourism flux is higher than ever and as a result, the situation could turn into a catastrophe.
The absence of a fruitful link between tourism and the residents' quality of life is mainly due to the lack of resources available on the island. In fact, the smallness of Lanzarote creates many problems related to overcrowding, caused by the hordes of visitors.
Local people complain that they do not always have access to electricity or drinkable water, as most of the island's supply is used for tourist accommodations and infrastructures.
However, the shortage of commodities not only has to do with basic necessities, but also with housing, which is now in short supply on the island (Eckert and Pechlaner, 2019).
Currently, most dwellings serve tourist purposes, meaning that these are not available any longer for long-term rent and have become unaffordable for local tenants. This example clearly demonstrates that high tourist flows contribute to price fluctuations: if the number of visitors was to surpass the number of residents, the cost of living would inevitably rise.
Summing up, whereas the rapport between guests and hosts in Lanzarote was excellent, currently the Lanzaroteños are more likely to express disapproval of visitors rather than welcome them, because of the implications of tourism as explained above.
There is a need for action on the island to restore its hospitality industry and make it once again a valuable source of income. The solution, most likely, is to enhance the quality of services in accommodation, transport and security.
Once upon a time the focus was on the quantity: more infrastructures, more airplanes, more tourists.
Nowadays this mode of thinking has been surpassed and quality has become the main focus.