Sprint end for nightlife. After business dinners and Christmas Eve, restaurants, clubs and companies focused on the organization of events in Canary Islands They are at full capacity preparing for New Year’s Eve, a night in which the entry into 2024 will be celebrated to the sound of the bells, as well as the end of December. And only this month, The sector in the Canary Islands, especially outside the tourist areas, earns 40% of its annual turnover.
After the 2020 confinement, the covid forced to limit capacity in restaurants and seal off dance floors. The rule lasted until March 2022, an issue that turned last Christmas into a real phenomenon. The first New Year’s Eve parties were held since the end of 2019. Three years of waiting with the mask on pushed the Canaries out onto the streets.
The purchase of tickets and reservations skyrocketed, it was a relief for the sector, one of those that took the longest to return to normal.. But this ‘bonanza’ also generated a mystery: Rebound or rebound? A few hours after shouting Happy 2024!, the mystery has been solved: it was a rebound. “We continue on an upward trend, we thought it was going to be worse compared to last year,” emphasizes the vice president of the Leisure and Restaurant Association of Tenerife (Aero), Carlos Quintero.
Perspectives
What’s more, at the national level, these last 31 days of the year will generate a global economic impact of 1,142 million in leisure venues, which is 2.64% more than in the same period of the previous year, according to the first preview of the 2023 Christmas Campaign Outlook Report, prepared by the National Federation of Leisure and Entertainment Entrepreneurs and Coca-Cola for the Leisure and Tourism Observatory. It is not for less, December is August in the world of lights, DJs and drinks, as it increases business volume by 237.9% compared to a typical month of activity..
A ‘frenzy’ of stalls that the hospitality industry, bars and nightclubs are experiencing with optimism. Currently, reservations for New Year’s Eve dinners and after parties are close to full. “We move one million euros annually, half in the last quarter of the year, with Halloween and New Year’s events,” explains the administrator of AGG Fiestas y Eventos, Adrián González. The company organizes a party for 700 people in Arucaswhose tickets have already flown, and a macro festival for 6,500 in Telde, which is 90% sold. «In the last week 7% of the tickets are purchased, so we hope to also hang the sign of sold out», points out the Gran Canaria organizer.
Average price: 22.53 euros
In general, 38.51% of users buy their passes to the December 31 party 15 days in advance, 29.05% do so one month in advance and 12.84% do so two months in advance, according to the National Federation. The average advance purchase is 19 days and the average starting price is 22.53 euros.
In The Gran Canarian palmsthe Plaza de la Música hosts two other macro eventsone for 8,000 attendees and another for 6,000, which already exceeds 80% of the tickets sold, explains the director of the Kopa Terrace, Sergio César Cadenato, which organizes one of them, in which 300 people work. He emphasizes that this is the “most powerful event of the year” for nightlife and the month accounts for 40% of his annual business volume.
The owner of La Aurora Piano Bar and president of the Canarias de Noche nightlife association does not have such a good taste in his mouth, Alejandro Negrin. In the spaces for more adult profiles, 35 years and older, Christmas Eve was “a resounding flatout.” “The forecasts are downward, this year is being more moderate, there are establishments that are lowering prices to attract the public,” says Negrín.
Less profit margin
Unlike the rest of the celebrations, the prosperous new year is accompanied by more expensive tickets and cutlery, as well as greater capacity, which represents a substantial increase in income. However, beyond the festive event, an economic event has also forced the amounts to rise on this occasion: inflation. Quintero points out that both raw materials, alcoholic beverages and staff salaries have increased over the last 365 days, which represents a snip in the profit margins of nightlife.
«I have had to increase the price of the cutlery at the New Year’s Eve dinner by 10 euros due to the increase in costs. Before it cost 150 and now 160,” explains the owner of the Monkey Beach Club, Javier Cabrera. This place is located in Arona, in the heart of the tourist area of Tenerife. There, since they do not depend so much on the local public, December represents 25% of their annual income, since they also have strong peaks in billing in August or carnivals.
With the bells ringing in the middle of the high season, which has its peak between December 22 and January 6, many tourists eat the grapes in the Islands. «We have the restaurant full during the 9:00 p.m. dinner shift. It is a luxury to welcome 2024 in short sleeves, many come to live the experience,” emphasizes Cabrera. From an entire family of 23 Galicians to a German couple and a couple of French friends, they will attend the cotillion that is being organized. In total, 500 diners will have that night.
Party safely
Safety is key when capacity reaches or approaches the limit. On Christmas Eve, the police had to evacuate a party in the Dubai Room in Santa Cruz de Tenerife because the permitted capacity was multiplied by ten, something that caused an avalanche of young people, as well as numerous scenes of anxiety attacks and fainting. It meant a 30,000 euro fine for the venue. Furthermore, at the beginning of October, a fire in a nightclub in Murcia killed 13 people. To avoid misfortunes, explains the director of the Kopa Terrace, Sergio César Cadenato, in macro events the capacity and established age limits are strictly followed, and in the days before, firefighters and experts come to the venue to check that everything is in order. “I prefer that the capacity not be filled, it is better that people feel calm and feel safe,” emphasizes the president of Canarias de Noche, Alejandro Negrín. | N.S.
