Discount campaign for Calvià residents starts: 25,000 vouchers to encourage spending

Discount campaign for Calvià residents starts: 25,000 vouchers to encourage spending

From the promenade to the small bakery: municipality wants to support local businesses

If you stroll through Palmanova or Santa Ponsa today, you'll hear the usual murmur of cafés, the crunch of gravel in parking lots and the clatter of shop shutters. From December 1, the municipality of Calvià is giving the streets a fresh boost: the "Calvià lo Vale" campaign has started and is aimed at residents aged 16 and over.

The principle is simple and designed for everyday use: each eligible person can use up to four vouchers worth €10 each. The condition for redemption is a minimum purchase of €20 per voucher – and the ID must be shown when paying. So whether you buy fresh Mallorcan baked goods, winter clothes or a small gift for the family, you can pay slightly less in the end.

The municipality has issued 25,000 vouchers and is allocating €250,000 from the budget. According to Mayor Juan Antonio Amengual, the administration expects the campaign to trigger around half a million euros in sales in local shops. The measure runs until January 31 – exactly the period when small retailers often face quieter customer traffic.

Small shop owners, craft businesses and bakers can especially benefit. In places like Portals Nous, Magaluf or the shopping streets of Calvià many businesses rely on regular customers; an extra incentive to stop by the shop windows now can be a noticeable relief for some livelihoods. The weekly markets in the municipality could become livelier too: low effort, direct effect, is the hope.

Practically for residents this means: check briefly before shopping whether the desired store is participating in the campaign – the municipality provides information online – and have your ID ready. If you come at quieter times, for example weekday mornings, you'll usually find shorter queues and have more time to explore the local selection.

Such an initiative has more than just a financial effect. When neighbors shop in town more often, money stays in the region, encounters in street cafés increase and the shopping mile looks livelier. On Mallorca, where many annual patterns are highly seasonal, this helps especially in the off-season: the baker on the corner, the boutique at the harbor, the bike repair service – all benefit from regular customers.

Critics sometimes point out that such campaigns are short-term. Still, a well-planned voucher scheme can open doors: new customers might discover a favorite bakery, parents can find a suitable gift without long drives, and the waterfront café sells a few more coffees in the afternoon. Ideas for even stronger impact would be longer durations, cooperation with local markets or targeted promotion for craft businesses.

For Calvià this means: use it, try it out and talk to each other. On your next walk along the promenade or while shopping in Carrer de s'Adoració keep an eye on participating shops. Small purchases add up — and in the end not only the residents' wallets are happy, but the whole neighborhood benefits.

Important summary: Residents aged 16 and over are eligible. Up to four vouchers of €10 per person, redeemable on purchases of €20 or more. 25,000 vouchers are available; the budget amounts to €250,000. The campaign runs until January 31. ID must be shown when paying.