A barrister by profession, Carmen Pérez (PP) assumed control of the Development Company of the Santa Cruz de Tenerife City Council more than a year ago. A “laboratory of ideas,” as she describes it, where the roadmap for promoting economic dynamism as a job creator is drawn. Initiatives that include fostering more sustainable tourism and assisting merchants and entrepreneurs in making Santa Cruz a “livelier” city. The upcoming challenge is to encourage businesses to operate in the city centre on weekends.
-How would you evaluate this initial year leading the Development Society?
“To say it has been positive is an understatement, especially considering the team’s human quality and professionalism. Upon assuming the position, everyone contributed, and I never felt isolated in any of the actions or proposals presented. The Development Society is a large ship, akin to an ocean liner, but it is highly organised. The evidence of this is that in just a year, we have carried out 226 actions to revive the commercial zones of the municipality, aiming to transform the concept into broader urban promotion that goes beyond street festivals to support commerce. Additionally, historic milestones have been reached, notably the first Master Plan for Commerce in the city’s 530-year history, establishing the Commerce Table, another pioneering step, uniting essential sector stakeholders.”
-Have the goals been accomplished?
“Introducing the Master Plan for Trade, establishing the sector’s Roundtable, and hosting the 1st Trade Forum are unprecedented achievements in the municipality, of which I am proud. We’ve endeavored to make the Development Society an instrument of economic advancement, aligning it with ongoing plans. We have advanced the Strategic Tourism Plan, launched the Plan for Sustainable Tourism, formulated the Master Plan for Trade, and devised the Employment Plan. A comprehensive roadmap for each sector, with our role being to amplify commerce, draw in new tourists, and generate economic benefits for citizens.”
-Is the Development Society the linchpin?
“It is vital for collaborating with all areas and districts to ensure a positive economic impact, as it relates to all city activities, from filming to commercial and tourism promotion endeavours. We are a small idea laboratory striving to implement plans. As evidence, we’ve executed over 200 trade-related actions, in addition to those linked to tourism, employment, or training.”
-And how do these actions translate into economic terms?
“We are currently experiencing a significant phase for our municipality. Tourism’s economic influence last year exceeded previous years, reflecting increased tourist spending due to the shift towards attracting quality tourism committed to sustainability. Initiatives involve promoting local cuisine, emphasising Kilometre Zero catering, alongside tapas routes, tourist networking, GastroCanarias, and the recently awarded Gastro Hotel Week project at Fitur. We also received accolades for enhancing accessibility around Casa del Carnaval and devising a strategy for congress tourism.”
Is the new MICE office yielding results?
“The objective is to position Santa Cruz as a focal point for fairs and conferences to lure more tourists. The MICE sector constitutes up to 25% of global travellers; thus, attracting such visitors, who generate substantial economic impact on our municipality, is a commendable endeavour. The goal is for these congress attendees to become advocates of our destination, potentially extending their stay with family. Hence, the establishment of the MICE office, elevating our status as a congress destination with robust connectivity, safety, cleanliness, climate, and infrastructures like the Fairgrounds or the Auditorium. Leveraging events like Carnival enhances our image as a notable destination. Our approach goes beyond emulation, focusing on promoting our unique identity to offer tourists, whether domestic or international, an authentic Santa Cruz experience.”
-Is the current hotel infrastructure adequate to cater to a sizeable congress audience?
“While the existing hotel spaces suffice, there have been expansions in the past year, with purported plans for additional hotels. Our hotel industry primarily targets visitors from the capital seeking gastronomy, culture, or sports experiences. Exploiting this segment is our focus to attract conference attendees who opt to stay in our city.”
-Which markets are the strategies aimed at?
“Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, and now, for the first time, the Cabildo de Tenerife are part of the Spain Convention Bureau network. This network convened its congress in Seville this year, with Granada set to host next year, and our efforts are directed towards securing Tenerife as a future venue. The goal is to provide diverse experiences for conference participants to immerse in the locale, prolonging their stay and generating increased spending by shopping, dining, and exploring entertainment options. We must enhance the Master Plan for Commerce to ensure a visually appealing retail landscape that entices visitors to make purchases or patronise establishments. By supplementing this with events like Carnival, concerts, and cultural or sports activities, we ensure tourists depart with a positive impression of our city.”
-Is the Trade Roundtable aligned with these challenges?
“The creation of the Roundtable aimed to gather key stakeholders in the municipality’s sector, categorised into institutional representation comprising City Council, Island Council, and the Government of the Canary Islands; institutional representatives like Chamber of Commerce or CEOE; and sectorial zones and district commercial area representatives. Santa Cruz boasts 14 commercial zones, with efforts to engage notable associations like the Central Zone, Stadium, or Parque Bulevar. The goal is to foster collaboration, as the political sector must never neglect the private sector. Alignment between the Roundtable and the Master Plan for Commerce has been prioritised, particularly focusing on promoting digital marketing and urban enhancements for enhanced business visibility.”
-What strategies aid in fortifying local commerce?
“Consumer vouchers stand as one strategy, proven successful in this round distributed across the five districts. Additionally, we devised a unique consumer voucher for an underdeveloped area like Calle La Rosa for the first time. Continuity is essential to bolster commerce, not only in aesthetics but also in attracting new clientele and fostering growth.”
Ad campaigns, aiming to promote the Santa Cruz network or offer training, including online courses for merchants to stay updated and invest in technological innovation.
-Have the sector’s needs been evaluated at 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 revitalization plans planned until the year-end, focusing on two projects. One project involves working towards allowing merchants in high tourist areas to open on weekends, although the regulations allow Sunday trading, it is not being utilised. Following a study to understand the reasons behind this, endorsed by associations, actions will be taken in the last quarter to facilitate and encourage weekend trading in the city centre.”
-What has hindered Sunday trading and what strategies will be implemented to change this?
“The unpublished report highlights various reasons for businesses not opening on weekends. The main factors cited are high labour costs, lack of attractiveness, and the desire for more supplementary activities to support weekend trading. Hence, urban promotion initiatives will be promoted to draw visitors to the city on Sundays. Agreements have been reached with central area associations, and proposals will be presented in September for implementation by the end of the year, coinciding with the Full Moon. Additionally, collaborations are in progress with other districts to implement revitalization plans by year-end or early next year.”
-Aside from major events, concerts, and filming, what other initiatives are in progress?
“Santa Cruz has had a significant year with events like the Cook Festival, Tenerife Music Fest, and Edd Sheran concert, which have had a substantial economic impact. Upcoming events include a Romeo Santos concert with Aventura in September, followed by Peñón Rock and a 90s Festival at the Palmetum. Plenilunio, from the 4th to the 6th of October, will expand to San Rafael and San Roque along with new events. Santa Cruz has also attracted major film productions this year, exceeding 60 so far, contributing to employment generation and recording the lowest unemployment levels in the past decade. It seems that the initiatives are yielding positive results.”
