After rejecting objections, the Las Palmas Official Public Service (BOP) has published the agreement of the San Bartolomé de Tirajana City Council, which met on September 25, 2025, formalizing a strategic change in the management of Maspalomas' tourism cash flow. The amendment to the Ordinance Regulating the Public Price for the sunbed and umbrella service, which came into effect after the final agreement, is an exercise of regulatory power over what is perhaps the most visible source of income on the coast.
In terms of pricing, the City Council has opted for tariff engineering to monetize luxury. The measure, therefore, goes beyond a simple tariff adjustment. It is a micro-political intervention that uses the tax ordinance for three governance objectives: to impose municipal regulatory authority, ensure transparency in beach service revenues, and maximize value capture from premium tourism. Controlling cash flow in Maspalomas is the new battle in the local political arena.
The first blow to the authority was the outright dismissal of the objections submitted during the public comment period. This rejection, based on the technical report from the Department of Coastal Care, indicates that the local government has shielded itself from any pressure from the business lobby, opting to impose its centralized management approach.
The key measure for fiscal governance is found in Article 4.3 of the Management Regulations. In cases where the service is managed directly by the local council, payment must be made "exclusively through the cashless payment system using a Point of Sale (POS) terminal." By imposing the POS, the City Council guarantees full fiscal traceability of its revenues, eliminating the opacity of cash handling.
The restructuring of the Rate (Article 3.2) is a price engineering move to capitalize on demand. While the cost of "one hammock per day" and "one umbrella per day" is set at 4,5 euros—maintaining a volume price—the City Council introduces a luxury segment: the "Balinese hammock or similar per day" is priced at 15 euros. Furthermore, it monetizes security, setting the cost of "one safe deposit box or similar custody service per day" at 3 euros.
This tariff adjustment demonstrates that the Department of Tourism, led by Yilenia Vega Macías, is using policymaking to achieve two high-level objectives: maximizing revenue by pricing luxury goods and strengthening financial management by implementing cashless technology. Price control in the arena is, at its core, a battle for sovereignty over tourism cash flow.
