Santa Pola allocates 500,000 euros to vouchers to reactivate local commerce

The Santa Pola City Council has approved the regulatory rules for the Santa Pola Consumption Voucher 2026 program, a campaign endowed with 500,000 euros aimed at incentivizing purchases in local commerce. The approval was formalized through Mayoral Decree No. 2026/2776, dated October 21, 2026, and the guidelines are published in the Official Gazette of the Province of Alicante (BOP) No. 202, dated October 23, 2026, under reference 8108/2026.

The regulation comes after the Provincial Council of Alicante, in its extraordinary plenary agreement of July 21, 2026, approved the call and regulatory guidelines for subsidies to city councils and smaller local entities for consumption promotion campaigns, published in BOP No. 137, dated July 23, 2026. The eleventh guideline of that call sets the maximum amount per municipality based on population: Santa Pola is entitled to 489,122.00 euros, the granting of which was published in BOP No. 183, dated September 25, 2026.

The City Council justifies the measure based on the impact of the inflationary crisis derived from rising energy costs on commercial SMEs, resulting in a drop in demand and consumer spending. The stated objectives are to promote local commerce, revitalize the commercial fabric, and boost purchases in participating establishments.

500,000 euros in credit and outsourced management

Guideline 2 sets a credit of 500,000.00 euros charged to the budgetary application 82200 43100 48000 “Commerce Voucher Subsidies,” generated exclusively for the 2026 fiscal year.

Guideline 3 designates the Official Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Services, and Navigation of Alicante as the collaborating entity, a public law corporation that will act in the name and on behalf of the City Council. Its functions include:

• Implementing and maintaining the program’s technological platform.
• Processing the membership of participating establishments.
• Issuing and managing the vouchers and assisting beneficiaries and businesses.
• Verifying redeemed vouchers and checking supporting documentation.
• Making payments to establishments on a weekly basis.

The collaboration agreement will be signed under the General Subsidies Law 38/2003, of November 17, and the guidelines expressly exempt the Chamber from providing bonds or guarantees, under article 53.2 of Royal Decree 887/2006. The justification is divided into two phases: until January 20, 2027, the documentation for form 1-A before the Provincial Council, and until January 31, 2027, the activity report, payments, and final settlement.

50% Vouchers and a maximum of 200 euros per person

Adult individuals registered in Santa Pola with a DNI or NIE may benefit. Each person may acquire up to 200 euros in vouchers, of which they will pay 100 euros: the other half is subsidized by the City Council. The vouchers are initially distributed in four amounts:

• 20 euro voucher, with an acquisition cost of 10 euros.
• 50 euro voucher, with an acquisition cost of 25 euros.
• 100 euro voucher, with an acquisition cost of 50 euros.
• 200 euro voucher, with an acquisition cost of 100 euros.

The vouchers are nominative and non-transferable, are redeemed in full in a single purchase, and do not allow for cash refunds of the difference. They are only valid for in-person purchases at participating establishments and cannot be used for vouchers, gift cards, advances, reservations, or deposits. The purchase will be made on the program’s website, with an in-person service reserved for those over 65 years of age.

Calendar and requirements for businesses

Base 10 provides for a single campaign with a maximum duration of one month, with a single call for purchase and redemption, which will start in November 2026 and extend until December. The text places the campaign between November 15 and December 15, 2026, and the redemption may not, under any circumstances, exceed December 30, 2026. 75,000.00 euros are reserved for the in-person senior voucher.

Owners of establishments considered SMEs according to EU regulations may join, with a maximum of 20 employees per establishment, located within the municipality of Santa Pola and holding an activity or environmental license. A computer with an internet connection and mechanized issuance of invoices or receipts reflecting the discount are required, in addition to falling under the IAE headings listed in the annex, including division 6 for trade, restaurants and lodging, travel agencies, and dental activities.

The impact of the campaign is twofold: for consumers, it represents a direct saving of 50% on their purchases, and for participating businesses, a liquidity stimulus with weekly payment of the redeemed vouchers. The edict is signed by the mayor-president, María Loreto Serrano Pomares.

Source: Official Gazette of the Province of Alicante (BOP), No. 202 of 10/23/2026, section III. Local Administration, pages 1-13 (official reference: 8108/2026).