Yesterday, the City Council of Santa Cruz de Tenerife revealed their ambitious plan to rejuvenate and breathe new life into the commercial sector of the capital over the next few years. Embedded within the inaugural Commerce Master Plan 2023-2028, the blueprint aims to serve as a catalyst for change in commerce, as articulated by Carmen Pérez, the CEO of the Development Society.
An outstanding initiative among the 34 action programmes is the establishment of the Santa Cruz Trade Table, a collaborative platform unveiled during the First Santa Cruz Trade Forum, Strategy, and Digitalization event at the Government’s headquarters.
This community of nearly twenty entities is a crucial mechanism envisioned to bolster governance within the commercial realm, fostering a space for public-private engagement and collaboration dedicated to enhancing the commercial landscape of the municipality.
The Mayor, José Manuel Bermúdez, hails this Plan as a landmark moment for the capital in terms of commerce; a comprehensive roadmap and a driving force for uplifting the commercial sector. He affirmed, “Santa Cruz has never possessed a framework that could concentrate and align efforts across all sectors, both public and private, in support of commerce. We achieved this with tourism, and it is imperative to replicate the same with commerce, as strategic planning is fundamental to secure co-financing that will aid in the continuous enhancement of our establishments.”
“Commerce has been an intrinsic part of our heritage since our inception, maintaining commercial relationships as a tricontinental hub throughout the centuries. We are currently at a critical juncture to provide steadfast support for our most pivotal productive sector,” stated Bermúdez, who underscored that the subsector “is not only significant for its economic contribution locally, but also for its role in job creation, with 20,528 positions, accounting for 29.2% of the total commercial workforce in Tenerife.”
Evaluation
This initiative is designed to orchestrate revitalization and advancement strategies for the commercial landscape of the municipality. The process involved an analysis to identify the strengths and weaknesses of businesses in the capital, acknowledging that the dominance of “traditional commerce” has been overshadowed by “digital commerce”, with services like home deliveries or establishments facilitated by vending machines and automated systems. These circumstances have necessitated a profound evolution in business practices, a phenomenon not unique to Santa Cruz de Tenerife but experienced by all cities.
Historically, port activities have dictated the commercial disposition, making it the focal point. However, a shift occurred in 2001 with the emergence of large retail stores in the Cabo Llanos area, impacting smaller enterprises negatively. To address this, the creation of the High Tourist Zone in 2011 enabled the opening of downtown establishments on Sundays, where 25% of retail trade is concentrated.
Merchants are calling for increased training in new technologies, languages, and marketing strategies, while consumers are advocating for digitalization, organic products, and convenient parking, amongst other preferences. Food stores accounted for 84.30% of consumer expenditure, followed by bars/cafes at 78% and fashion outlets at 71%.
