When we first set up Real Lanzarote it was based on the misconception people had from the UK about this unique island that had been misrepresented in the media.
Indeed we first came to Lanzarote in 1979 on a late break holiday and were amazed at the diversity of the landscape and the unspoilt friendliness of the indigenous population, a rarity in this modern world.
We were delivered to one of the resorts, Puerto del Carmen, small and unpretentious, and because of inexpensive property prices, we bought an apartment on the spot for ermm, not much! WE then found that organising holidays was a lot of fun, a comfortable way of earning a peseta or two.
But a few years later a journalist, looking for some instant fame at his wit, described Lanzarote as Lanzagrotty. Sadly, the name stuck and this pretty island went into freefall.
A few years later on deciding to live on the island for health reasons of our son (who´s now a Rock and Roll legend), we moved to the still unspoilt north to give our two children a ´normal´ upbringing instead of the unnatural nature of living in a holiday resort.
What a clever move! Very few tourists and then only ones who wished to see the island, hire cars, trek the countryside and eat at local fish restaurants. And we could learn Spanish and natter with the locals.
After a busy lifetime in the advertising world, what to do in a world without it? We bought a beautiful old ruin of a house and, with clumsy fingers and zilch experience but loving care, renovated it from top to bottom and back. And bingo, we had a small business for creative and interesting people who wanted to see, wait for it ´Real Lanzarote´.
Our concept was also to involve the local villagers who had made us so welcome as a British family who wanted to integrate into the local community. Therefore, all the local restaurateurs, villa owners, bar owners etc are our friends so the money comes onto the island and the locals enjoy the financial benefits and not the huge factory-ship companies who have only one interest, fleece the tourists and keeps the dosh.