Tourism businessmen share with the first deputy mayor, Samuel Henríquez, the priorities to improve the competitiveness of the area
The councilor confirms the start of the procedures for drafting the PMM and emphasizes that the council will provide financing for it
The Board of Directors of the Federation of Hospitality and Tourism Entrepreneurs of Las Palmas (FEHT) presented today the need to promote a Plan for Modernization, Improvement and Increase of Competitiveness (PMM) focused on the renovation of obsolete commercial spaces in the municipality of San Bartolomé de Tirajana, a “fundamental tool to improve the attractiveness and competitiveness of the Gran Canaria destination in the current market, recover currently degraded land and economic activities, generate private investment, improve public spaces and create new jobs,” according to stated the president of the FEHT, José María Mañaricúa.
The request from the tourism businessmen occurred during a meeting with the first deputy mayor of the San Bartolomé de Tirajana City Council, Samuel Henríquez, also the delegate councilor for Urban Planning, Sports, Seniors, Beaches, Cleaning and Local Police. In this meeting, the Board of Directors of the FEHT and the councilor of the southern municipality agreed in considering that the PMM is the appropriate regulatory tool to produce a real transformation in reasonable time for the currently obsolete commercial spaces on the coast of Playa del Inglés, the area where renovation actions are more urgent in defense of the public interest, both due to their current state (some of them have even been declared legally ruined) and due to the possibility of their transformation into “more prosperous and attractive” commercial areas, in line with with the vision of tourists who now consider the possibility of shopping as an added attraction in vacation destinations,” said Mañaricúa, who added that to this qualified commercial offer we must add the boost that the renovation would mean for restaurant activities. , the competitiveness of the destination and stable employment.
For his part, the first deputy mayor of San Bartolomé de Tirajana, in his capacity as head of Urban Planning for the municipality, stressed that his government area has already begun the procedures for drafting the aforementioned Modernization Plan for obsolete commercial areas and public spaces in the area, in collaboration with the Government of the Canary Islands and the company Gesplan, dependent on the Executive. And, as proof of the commitment of the government group in this matter, he highlighted that the council will provide financing for the drafting of the PMM.
On the other hand, the tourism businessmen also presented to the first deputy mayor their opinion on the phenomenon of residentialization in tourist properties, a position that, Mañaricúa recalled, “defends the general interest of the municipality and the maintenance of San Bartolomé de Tirajana as “competitive tourist destination at regional, state and international level.” In this sense, he highlighted the study prepared by the Institute of Tourism and Sustainable Economic Development (Tides) of the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC), which has estimated the decrease in 591 million euros annually (in conservative estimates) of income in economic activity caused by the process of residentialization in tourist complexes only in the municipality. of San Bartolomé de Tirajana. The president of the FEHT also recalled that this position clearly contrary to the expansion of the phenomenon of residentialization has been defended explicitly and firmly by the social and economic agents of Gran Canaria, in the case of the majority unions in the sector, Comisiones Obreras (CCOO). ) and the General Union of Workers (UGT), in addition to employers' associations such as the FEHT.
In the meeting with the councilor, the Board of Directors of the FEHT also highlighted that the current sectoral regulation contemplates an exceptional situation, articulated through the Canary Islands Land Law, which allows residential use for those situations consolidated before January 1 of 2017. But the same regional regulation is categorical regarding the possible generalization of this practice, due to the obvious harmful consequences for the activity of tourist complexes.
Likewise, tourism businessmen discussed with councilor Samuel Henríquez the need to promote the offer of leisure activities on the coast, always within the sectoral regulations on Coasts, whose powers will be assumed by the Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands starting next January 1 . In this regard, José María Mañaricúa encouraged “overcoming the current situation, with an outdated offer of hammocks and leisure facilities, and changing it for a strategy that promotes the development of a modern leisure and restaurant offer, with full respect for the standard.” and environmental conservation, but in line with the expectations of the tourists who visit us and the concept of comprehensive quality of the tourist offer in the south of Gran Canaria.”
Finally, the Board of Directors of the FEHT also urged compliance with the legal provisions on the permitted uses of the Santa Águeda dock, in Arguineguín, once the expiration of the concession for industrial use by a cement company had been confirmed. For tourism businessmen, and as they told the councilor, compliance with the island's territorial regulations is inexcusable, which provides for the tourist use of the aforementioned pier, which also constitutes "an opportunity for the development of quality activities in the best area of expansion of the municipality.” The FEHT has urged all public administrations to guarantee compliance with urban planning legality in this matter, in defense of legal security for economic agents and the general interest of the municipality and the island.
