Canary Islands to Support In-Person Events

Promotur Turismo de Islas Canarias, the Canary Islands tourist public body, has announced a sponsorship program for in-person events on the islands, for which it has allocated 760,000 euros, as reported by the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce.

The events, as stated in the announcement, can be cultural (activities related to theatre, dance, music, plastic and visual arts, cinema or audiovisuals, and literature), sports, business, scientific, academic, cuisine and tourist activities.

To improve the economic situation amid the crisis sparked by the coronavirus pandemic, only private entities that organize and hold events at the destination may apply to the program.

The regional tourism chief of the area, Yaiza Castilla, said that “the Canary Islands tourism industry needs measures to mitigate the impact caused by the health crisis that also allow restarting activity and employment, which is achieved by supporting the creation and maintenance of an agenda of activities that attracts tourist arrivals”.

The starting program for in-person events will only allocate 760,000 euros, of which 385,000 come from Promotur Turismo de Islas Canarias, and the remaining 375,000 euros from the agreement signed with the State to mitigate the losses following the bankruptcy of the Thomas Cook Group.

Likewise, in the middle of the year, the Ministry will once again announce through its public company a new sponsorship for this type of event.

The sponsorship will be distributed by islands, so Gran Canaria and Tenerife will each receive 22.37%; Lanzarote and Fuerteventura, 17.11% each; La Palma, 8.55%; La Gomera and El Hierro, 5.26% each; with La Graciosa being included for the first time, and receiving 1.97%.

José Juan Lorenzo, managing director of Promotur Turismo de Islas Canarias, believes that “it is important that the support is a consequence of the individuality of each island, so the island development and personalized tourist features will be taken as a reference.”

The in-person events must be held between April 1 and June 30 and must be in person, not virtual. In addition, for its planning and execution, the event must adhere to some form of social work, like hiring a greater number of companies or personnel, or hiring people with disabilities or any other impairment to help them access employment.

Given the changing pandemic situation of the Islands, the announcement is open to the possibility of maintaining sponsorship even if the in-person event is forced to switch to a virtual setting, provided that the health situation and the restrictions take a turn for the worse, and that the event meets the requirements to be held online.

Commercial companies, both small and medium-sized enterprises, as well as larger ones like non-profit organizations (NGOs, associations and private foundations), self-employed, Temporary Business Unions (UTE) and clusters are invited to apply to the program.

Among the aspects considered for the sponsorship is the incorporation of other sectors that make up the tourism value chain, the participation of the population and regional businesses, the impact on the image of the Canary Islands as a destination, the innovative nature and its social, economic and environmental impact, among others. Depending on evaluation and approval, Promotur Turismo de Islas Canarias will co-finance a percentage of the event, covering from 20 to 50%.