Lanzarote, “l’isola differente”. Turismo, place branding e la creazione della "Marca Lanzarote”

Abstract

The article deals with the influence that Lanzarote-born artist César Manrique has had on the development of tourism in Lanzarote from the 1960s on, and in particular, with how his aesthetic ideals have affected the appearance of the Island today. The article aims at demonstrating that the peculiar tourism development that occurred in Lanzarote can be considered as a pioneer attempt at enacting a particular marketing strategy today known as “place branding”. Considering the effects caused by Manrique’s work and by his environmental ecologic activism, it is evident how the marketing of Lanzarote as an Island with no equals has highly influenced its appearance, in accordance with the image that was created for it. Undoubtedly, this process has differentiated Lanzarote from other destinations in the tourist market; yet, as a result, a conflict between identity, authenticity and thematization has arisen, culminating in the creation of the so-called “Lanzarote trade-mark”.