A legal professional, Carmen Pérez (PP), assumed control of the Development Company of the Santa Cruz de Tenerife City Council over a year ago. Describing it as a “laboratory of ideas”, she sets the course to stimulate economic dynamism as a means of creating jobs. Initiatives include boosting more sustainable tourism and supporting merchants and entrepreneurs to transform Santa Cruz into a more vibrant city. The upcoming challenge is to encourage the opening of businesses in the city centre on weekends.
-What is your assessment of the first year leading the Development Society?
“To say it has been successful is an understatement, especially given the professionalism and dedication of the team. Since taking the position, everyone has collaborated, and I have never felt alone in any of the actions or proposals presented. The Development Society is like a large, well-structured ship – we have implemented 226 actions in just a year to revitalise commercial areas and redefine the concept to go beyond street festivities, aiming for a broader urban promotion that supports commerce. We have reached significant milestones, notably being the first time in the City Council’s 530-year history that we have a Commerce Master Plan and established the Commerce Table, a pioneering initiative bringing together key sector stakeholders.”
-Have the objectives been achieved?
“Introducing the Commerce Master Plan, establishing the sector’s Roundtable, and hosting the 1st Trade Forum are unprecedented achievements in the municipality that I am proud of. We intend for the Development Society to be a tool for economic development, in line with ongoing plans. We have advanced the Strategic Tourism Plan, developed the Sustainable Tourism Plan, launched the Commerce Master Plan, and devised the Employment Plan – a comprehensive strategy for each sector to boost commerce, attract new tourists, and drive economic growth for residents.”
-Is the Development Society the linchpin?
“It is crucial for the Society to collaborate with all areas and districts to have a positive economic impact as it encompasses all city activities, from film productions to commercial and tourism initiatives. We act as a small incubator of ideas, executing over 200 actions in shops alone, in addition to activities related to tourism, employment, and training.”
-What is the economic impact of these actions?
“We are witnessing a significant moment for our municipality. Tourism’s economic impact surpassed previous years, indicating increased tourist spending as we aim for not just attracting tourists but for high-quality, sustainable visits. Initiatives include promoting local cuisine, focusing on ‘Kilometre Zero’ catering, tapas routes, tourist networking, GastroCanarias, and the award-winning Gastro Hotel Week project at Fitur. We also received awards for enhancing accessibility around Casa del Carnaval and our congress tourism strategy.”
Is the new MICE office yielding results?
“Our goal is to position Santa Cruz as a hub for fairs and congresses to attract more tourists. The MICE sector accounts for up to 25% of global travellers, so attracting these visitors, who have a greater economic impact on our municipality, will be beneficial. We want congress attendees to become advocates for our destination, often travelling with family and extending their stay. The MICE office positions us as a congress destination with strong connectivity, safety, cleanliness, favourable climate, and key infrastructures like the Fairgrounds and Auditorium, supported by the renowned Carnival that establishes us as a distinguished destination. Our focus is on promoting our unique identity to ensure that visitors, both national and international, have an authentic experience in Santa Cruz.”
-Do we have sufficient hotel infrastructure to accommodate large numbers of conference attendees?
“Though our hotel capacity has expanded in the past year, there are plans for further growth. Our hotels primarily cater to capital city tourists seeking gastronomy, culture, or sports experiences. We are working to attract conference participants to stay in Santa Cruz and explore the city.”
-Which markets are we targeting?
“Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, and for the first time, the Tenerife Island Council are part of the Spain Convention Bureau network. We are striving to host the network’s congress, following Seville this year and Granada next year. Our aim is to offer diverse experiences to congress attendees, immersing them in the destination’s identity, extending their stays, and boosting spending by shopping, dining, and enjoying leisure activities. Our Master Plan for Commerce aims to enhance the attractiveness of our shops to encourage purchases and consumption by visitors wandering our streets, coupled with immersive experiences through events like Carnival, concerts, or cultural and sporting activities, ensuring tourists leave with a positive impression of our city.”
-Is the Trade Roundtable aligned with these goals?
“The Roundtable was established to bring together key sector players across the municipality. It comprises representatives from the City Council, Island Council, Chamber of Commerce, CEOE, and focal commercial areas like the Central Zone, the Stadium area, and Parque Bulevar. We aim for effective governance, emphasising that the public sector must collaborate with the private sector. Aligning the Roundtable with the Commerce Master Plan is focused on promoting digital marketing and urban enhancements for increased business visibility.”
-What initiatives support local commerce?
“Consumer vouchers have been a successful tool distributed across the five districts this year. Additionally, we introduced a special voucher for an evolving area like Calle La Rosa. Our continuous efforts aim to enhance commerce not only visually but to attract and retain new customers, fostering growth in the sector.”
-Have the requirements of the industry been evaluated during the Trade Roundtable?
“The board was established in May, and the Commerce Master Plan was introduced. The upcoming meeting, in September, will address all the revitalisation strategies we aim to implement by the year-end, centred on two projects. Firstly, we will strive to enable merchants in high tourist traffic zones to open on weekends, as per regulations allowing Sunday business operations which are presently underutilised. In order to understand the reasons behind this, a study was conducted and validated by trade associations. Based on this data, activities will be conducted in the last quarter to promote and incentivise weekend trading in the city centre.”
-What has hindered Sunday trading and what strategies are being planned to reverse this trend?
“The yet to be published report highlights various reasons for the lack of weekend trading. The primary reasons cited include high personnel costs, lack of appeal, and a desire for additional complementary activities to justify weekend trading. Consequently, we will launch urban promotional initiatives featuring attractions to draw the public to the city on Sundays. Following consensus with central area associations, proposals will be presented in September for implementation before the year-end, coinciding with the Full Moon festival. Additionally, collaborative efforts with other districts are underway to rejuvenate the area, with a comprehensive plan scheduled for implementation by year-end or early next year.”
-Apart from major events, concerts, and film shoots, what other plans are in the pipeline?
“This year has witnessed significant events in Santa Cruz like the Cook Festival, Tenerife Music Fest, and Ed Sheeran concert, all of which have had a substantial economic impact. Scheduled for September is a Romeo Santos concert with Aventura, followed by Peñón Rock and a 90s Festival, all at the Palmetum. These will be accompanied by Plenilunio, from 4th to 6th October, expanding into the San Rafael and San Roque areas with new events. In terms of cinema, we have attracted major productions to the capital, crossing the 60-mark this year. This has positively impacted employment, resulting in the lowest unemployment rates in the last decade, showcasing our successful endeavours.”
