Opinion of Sandra Gertrúdix, Councilor for Commerce: "Convert Dénia into a commercial destination of reference"

This week the Dénia Trade Strategic Plan has been presented to the sector, which includes a diagnosis of the current situation and an action plan to achieve certain objectives, which I would summarize in a main one: to turn Dénia into a commercial destination of reference. In short, that our city acquires the status that populations such as Gandia or Valencia have had for many years in the mind of Dianenses: we want both the local clientele as well as that of our regional environment, and even provincial, come "shopping" to Dénia .

Sandra Gertrúdix, Councilor for Commerce

The plan also intends for our business to take on the challenge of modernization, innovation and collaborative work that requires an objective of these dimensions, and some difficult times in which formulas have been imposed that must be understood as opportunities (electronic commerce, home service).

The plan also speaks, effectively, of a commercial urban center friendly for pedestrians and at the same time accessible. And although, I insist, this is a plan for all commerce in Dénia, it is inevitable to go through the dilemma of the pedestrianization of streets like Marqués de Campo again. At this point, I want to open the debate to a sincere reflection: one does not go "shopping" by car; You only go by car to carry out fast and very localized procedures (bank procedures, very specific and previously decided purchases, visits to professional offices). "Going shopping" is walking and window shopping, entering the stores calmly, taking advantage of the afternoon in Dénia to have a drink, also in a bar, being able to do it accompanied by the children ...

Being a commercial destination is not simply the same as increasing sales. Being a commercial destination is to offer a complete commercial experience in which potential customers are invited to “stroll” the Dénia business and, therefore, put in their sights a wide range of establishments of all kinds.

That is why the unity of the sector and joint work with the city council is necessary to develop this comprehensive experience. The plan is already on the table and to implement it we are going to set up a technical office specifically in charge of it, which studies and discusses with the interested parties each of the proposed actions, assesses its viability or adaptation to the concrete reality of the city, that serves as a meeting and collaboration point for the different associations.

Let it also work on that improvement of accessibility that many simplify in a "lack of parking" that the same Strategic Plan for Commerce denies. The document, focused on Dénia and prepared with an eye on the great successful commercial experiences that other cities have already started, insists at this point on the suitability, in any commercial destination, of having an important bag of parking spaces surrounding the urban nucleus; in Dénia, about 3.000 spaces and, in addition, public, to which are added the central private car parks.

The plan does insist on the need to increase the efforts of information and intelligent signaling of these car parks: that the user can instantly know their exact location, free spaces and distances from shopping areas. A line of work that fully coincides with the smart city project in which the city council is also making progress.

We understand that we have had to live a very complicated and unexpected time. But let us take on the challenge of taking the leap, which sooner or later would have been imperative, of modernizing the city and its commerce and adapting to new urban and commercial models. Let's take on the challenge of working from a more unitary perspective of Dénia's commercial offer, of creating a unique, powerful and benchmark brand; and a complete and well-communicated and sold offer.

We have in our hands a professional and very clear roadmap: that Trade Plan with which we are committed to providing the city, as one of the special measures to combat the crisis derived from the pandemic. Let's take advantage of it.