The Governing Council of the entity of the Cabildo de Gran Canaria approves a budget project worth 18,9 million euros, with an increase of around 2,5 million euros over the current year
Carlos Álamo, Minister of Tourism, highlights that “we have a lot at stake as a destination in a highly competitive scenario and in which we are clear that we cannot and should not miss any opportunity to promote and work for our Island.”
Gran Canaria Tourism approved this Thursday, November 10, after an ordinary session of its Governing Council, a draft budget for the year 2023 worth 18.939.500,71 euros, with an increase in investment of 2,5 million approximately, which seeks not only to consolidate the recovery of the sector but also to reinforce the modernization of the destination based on the new criteria and demands that are imposed in the tourism reality of the post-pandemic era. This project will be submitted to the plenary session of the Gran Canaria Council for final approval.
“This is the largest initial budget in the historical series of Tourism of Gran Canaria and offers coverage of the priorities established in the strategic plan for the period 2021-2025. In this sense, it continues to bet, as in previous years, on a line of work that is providing certainty and helping to recover the tourism industry after the pandemic. It will also serve to continue with improvements in the infrastructure, in the offer and in the products of the tourist destination,” said the Minister of Tourism of Gran Canaria, Carlos Álamo.
“We believe that the 2022 financial year will close with approximately 4,5 million tourists, in similar terms to those of 2019, but there is a threat facing 2023, since many experts consider that this corkage effect may end. Therefore, we must counteract possible threats and ensure our income through a greater effort in promotion," said the counselor, in relation to the increase of 324.000 euros in the item allocated to the foreign promotion budget, which closes for a total amount of 6.410.000. ,XNUMX euros.
Alamó pointed out that "we have agreed to maintain the main lines of action of recent years and that have been proven successful and to increase the amount we allocate to promotion in our main markets because the situation demands it and we consider, in line with the quorum of the sector, that we are in a particularly relevant moment for the Gran Canaria economy and we must remain in a highly competitive scenario and in which we are clear that we cannot and should not miss any opportunity to promote and work for our destiny.
Investments for the year 2023 have been allocated 10.907.037,73 euros, which represents an increase of 22,95% compared to the previous year. These items planned for the next financial year contemplate, among other things, the remodeling of the façade of the Insular Tourism Center in Playa del Inglés, with 600.000 euros and an increase of 324,000 euros, already mentioned, for the external promotion of the destination. The tourist information services have been allocated 340.000 euros, which represents an increase of 115.000 euros, to provide services in the new offices, next to the Triana office, which already existed in the airport's international terminal and in the Cruz de Tejeda Office. The municipalities will also have aid for their tourist information offices.
Gran Canaria Tourism will adjust personnel expenses in line with the 2,5% increase that is given by the increase in salaries of public employees established for the next year, according to State forecasts, and included in the General Budgets of the State.
In addition, 150.000 euros are allocated to the Mogán City Council to carry out various tourist rehabilitation actions on the coast of the tourist municipality. The Maspalomas Consortium for tourist rehabilitation will have a budget of 2 million euros.
On the other hand, to be developed through the FDCAN funding program for 1,5 million, the Santa Lucía City Council will be supported for the conditioning of the International Windsurfing Center (371.070,39 euros); and the work on the Access project to the Maspalomas Lighthouse with 1.128.929 euros that will be carried out through the Maspalomas Rehabilitation Consortium.
“We must have a modern administration to be able to address this new reality and new demands such as digitalization,” said Álamo. As an example, he pointed to the reform of the San Bartolomé de Tirajana Tourist Office, the second one that receives the most visitors on the Island - after the one in Triana - and which is facing the last phase of having information equipment similar to the ones that are located in the Triana office and the digitalization of some services.
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In the 2023 budget, the Gran Canaria Tourist Promoters program is maintained, through the management assignment with the SPEGC, with the United Kingdom and Ireland, Germany and Austria, the Nordic Countries and directly in Poland, France and Benelux. which constitutes since its launch Gran Canaria's greatest competitive advantage in the tourism sector and in relation to other competing destinations. The presence of direct representatives of the island's tourism sector in the Spanish Tourism Offices dependent on the corresponding embassies has been one of the keys to the increase in the number of visitors in recent years.
Another great support for Gran Canaria's tourism products is the subsidies to the business associations of Natural Tourism, Spa and Wellness, Nautical Tourism, Active Tourism and the contribution to the support of the Gran Canaria Convention Bureau Foundation that promotes two fundamental tourism products for Gran Canaria: Congress tourism and Golf tourism.
Another item that is maintained is that related to sports and cultural activities in order to continue sponsoring sports and cultural events held on the Island and with a significant external impact, already helping to position Gran Canaria as an ideal vacation destination for practicing sports and outdoor leisure 365 days a year. Proof of this are the Masdanza Festival, the Epic Gran Canaria, the ITF Beachtenis, the TransGranCanaria, and many others, all events that have recognized tourist interest. Likewise, support continues for city councils that celebrate festivals or events of tourist interest, such as the International Folklore Festival, Almond Blossom Festival, Las Nieves, El Charco, El Rosario, La Manzana and Santa Lucía Festivals, among others.
Finally, during the Council's celebration, the good results resulting from the collaboration between the public sector and the private sector were highlighted, contributing these to a greater or lesser extent, depending on each business situation that is specialized in these products. “The success of the joint public-private work in these years regarding these associations or product clubs, which are involved from the strategic point of view and tourism promotion of the island, are fundamental in the promotion policy of Tourism of Gran Canaria” he concluded. Poplar.
