La Orotava Launches Back-to-School Voucher Program to Boost Local Economy

The La Orotava City Council has launched a new economic support program to help families manage the costs of the back-to-school season. Developed in partnership with the Federation of Urban Areas of the Canary Islands (FAUCA), the initiative aims to boost local shops, which are vital to the town’s economy.

Starting at 12:00 p.m. on Wednesday, September 9, residents can purchase consumer vouchers. Each voucher has a value of 20 euros, but users only pay 10 euros, with the local government covering the rest. Individuals can purchase up to ten vouchers, meaning a personal investment of 100 euros provides 200 euros in total purchasing power. The council has allocated 265,000 euros to the program, which is expected to generate 530,000 euros in local business activity.

Vouchers are managed through a digital platform and are linked to the user’s national ID (DNI or NIE). They function like an electronic wallet, allowing users to spend the balance in smaller amounts at participating stores until December 31, 2026, or until the credit runs out. Currently, 57 local businesses are participating, though shoppers are advised to check the list of stores before making a purchase.

The program comes with a few standard rules: vouchers are non-transferable, cannot be exchanged for cash, and are non-refundable once they expire. Additionally, they cannot be used for tobacco, gambling, lottery tickets, phone top-ups, gift cards, or digital subscriptions.

Mayor Francisco Linares and his team hope this initiative will provide much-needed relief to household budgets while supporting local small and medium-sized businesses during the busy September shopping period.