Torrevieja Will Keep Its Consumption Voucher in 2025: Half a Million Euros in Municipal Funds from November to Christmas
The Torrevieja City Council will launch its eleventh edition of the consumption voucher program, which will be financed entirely with municipal funds, following the decision by the Alicante Provincial Council to stop contributing money to the initiative.
According to the Councillor for Commerce, Rosario Martínez Chazarra, the campaign will run from mid-November to December 31, with an investment of 500,000 euros. Its goal is to support local businesses and the hospitality sector during the La Purísima and Christmas festivities. The City Council is currently finalizing the rules for this new edition.
Torrevieja was one of the first municipalities in the Valencian Community to implement this type of campaign during the COVID-19 pandemic. The system works by having the City Council cover 50% of the purchase cost: if a customer buys a product worth 100 euros, they only pay 50, and the remaining amount is subsidized through the municipal voucher. In the early years, up to three campaigns per year were organized.
Although the number of editions has decreased and the participation requirements have become stricter, the initiative remains very popular among residents. Since its inception, the management of the subsidies has been awarded to the Association of Small and Medium-Sized Businesses of Torrevieja (Apymeco) —the only organization that has applied for the public tenders. Apymeco, in turn, hires external companies to manage the payment systems and coordinate the campaign.
Despite the Alicante Provincial Council’s decision to withdraw from the program for budgetary reasons, the Torrevieja City Council has chosen to continue the initiative independently.
In previous editions, such as the one held in October 2024, long lines formed as residents sought to obtain vouchers in person.
It is worth noting that the voucher program has been scrutinized by the Valencian Anti-Fraud Agency, which processed two complaints—one concerning Torrevieja and another involving Facpyme—as well as by the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office, which opened an investigation into the entities managing the subsidies, particularly Facpyme, which handled the provincial funds. This situation may have influenced the Provincial Council’s decision to withdraw from the initiative.
The lack of provincial financial support has also affected other municipalities. However, towns such as Orihuela, Pilar de la Horadada—which will allocate 200,000 euros—and Aspe have confirmed they will continue with their own programs. In the case of Pilar de la Horadada, the local government emphasizes that the measure not only benefits consumers but also serves as an incentive for local businesses.
