The Town Hall of Torrevieja is set to launch a consumer voucher campaign aimed at invigorating local commerce and hospitality during the festive celebrations, particularly during La Purísima and Christmas. An investment of five hundred thousand euros will be made available from mid-November until the end of December, as confirmed by the Councillor for Commerce, Rosario Martínez Chazarra.
This initiative is the eleventh of its kind since the town first adopted this model to stimulate local commerce. Initially launched during the COVID-19 pandemic, the council subsidises fifty percent of the purchase price for consumers. For example, if a product costs one hundred euros, the municipality will contribute fifty euros through vouchers that can be purchased both in person and online.
Despite a decrease in the frequency of campaigns, with just one being held each year now, the initiative remains popular. The administration of the subsidy has consistently been awarded to the Association of Small and Medium-Sized Traders of Torrevieja (Apymeco), which also hires other companies to manage payment processing and campaign coordination. However, recent budgetary constraints from the Diputación de Alicante have raised concerns about ongoing funding.
Detractors of the consumer vouchers argue that they are indiscriminate, allowing any citizen to access public funds without standard criteria for income verification. While some municipalities continue to support their own initiatives, critics highlight issues related to potential fraud in online purchases and the rapid depletion of campaign budgets.
This article was written with AI assistance and reviewed by a human editor before publication.