Huge thanks to reader Helen Richards who shared this with me. It’s a promotional brochure produced in 1982 for travel agents, giving them information about the island.
You’ll get a chance to download it for yourself at the end of this article, but here are some highlights for you:
1/ The island’s population in 1982 was 61,000 and there were 12,000 tourist beds. Today, the population is 149,000 and there are 71,000 tourist beds, a increase of almost 500%.
2/ Omar Sharif was apparently regularly staying at his mansion on the island in 1982.
3/ The island’s main industry in 1982 was fish packing, and there were two large factories in Arrecife, the remains of which are still there.
4/ What we now know as the Fundacion César Manrique in Tahiche was then called the César Manrique museum and he could be found working there most days, and when he wasn’t there, he could be found at El Almacen in Arrecife, which has recently been restored.
5/ Timanfaya was being sold as the main attraction on the island and entry was 150ptas – about 90 cents.
6/ There were just nine hotels on the island in 1982! They were:
Interesting to note the Melia Salinas at that time was a Sheraton.
7/ Apartments that were available then and are still here include, Los Molinos, Casas del Sol, La Peñita, Barcarola and Los Cocoteros.
8/ We had a sense of humour:
9/ Four car hire firms had adverts – Royal Rent a Car in Playa Blanca with a BMW 3 series, Europcar in Puerto del Carmen, showing off a Renault 9, Can Auto at Los Pocillos, and Faycan offering a Daihatsu jeep. Other cars spotted in various photos include a Citroen GS, a Peugeot 404 estate and a Renault 4.
10/ The golf course was in use in Costa Teguise and charging 700ptas (€4.20 for guests staying at Costa Teguise hotels and 1000ptas (€6) for guests staying in Puerto del Carmen. I have no idea why.
11/ The Arrecife Gran was trading – this was well before the fire burned it down, and was known as the Hulsa Arrecife Gran Hotel. César Manrique contributed a stone mural to the building.
12/ There were no scheduled direct flights to UK or Ireland in 1982. You had to transit through Las Palmas or Tenerife. There were charter flights to the island brining package tourists.
Those are the key parts I picked out. Thanks once again to Helen – I’ve thoroughly enjoyed reading it.
View and download your own copy at this link: Lanzarote 1982.
There were some fascinating memories posted by readers on our Facebook page in response to this article:
