Santander’s municipal technological modernization strategy highlights the progressive use of data as a tool to optimize public administration and open up new economic and employment opportunities. The city council noted that the analysis and use of large amounts of information is therefore becoming a priority in its roadmap, with the aim of providing better services, promoting operational efficiency and creating favorable conditions for local business activity. On this basis, Councilor Álvaro Lavín emphasized “the importance of exploiting the full potential of information to create public value, operational efficiency and new opportunities for companies and entrepreneurs,” a statement reflected in the City Council’s official communication.
In the municipal budget for 2026, Santander plans to invest over 6.1 million euros in the area of innovation and over 1 million euros in the area of markets and trade, as the city council explains. The main axis of the strategy aims at the digital transformation of local government and the development of tools that allow local management to be aligned with the current and future needs of the urban and economic environment. In this context, the Strategic Trade Plan 2023-2026 establishes guidelines to link the development of local trade with new consumption and technological trends, a task that the City Council sees as crucial to maintaining the vitality of the economic fabric and its adaptation to the challenges of the coming decades.
The city council reported that work on the Puertochico market continues with the second phase of the renovation, which is scheduled to be completed in 2026. At the same time, the first actions on the Mexican market will begin in the same year, with the intention of equipping both spaces with infrastructure adapted to current standards. These measures integrate a modernization plan aimed at adapting municipal markets both in their physical structure and in their management, thus creating more competitive and attractive environments.
As an integral part of the municipal effort, Santander will continue to promote the professionalization of the city’s markets. The city council explained that it works closely with business associations and trade representatives and promotes professional management models that increase the attractiveness and functionality of traditional markets. Collaboration with these actors also aims to strengthen the organization of events, commercial revitalization activities and the continuity of programs that have shown positive impact in previous cycles.
Among the initiatives that will receive a boost in 2026, the city council highlighted the expansion of consumer vouchers, the continuation of activities such as the Santander Local Fest and the Commerce Gala, and the development of specific proposals such as “El Mercaderío”. With these lines of action, the city council wants to strengthen economic activity and consolidate the role of trade as a driver of local development by involving traders and consumers in the transformation process, the city council reported.
According to the local administration, relations and support for the community’s business people will be based on mechanisms of active listening and collaboration with institutions and social actors. The purpose is to make it easier for businesses to adapt to changing consumer habits and new technological demands, creating a more resilient commercial ecosystem prepared for trends in emerging markets.
The “Innovation” sector is the main investment opportunity for 2026. As the Ministry of Innovation, Trade, Markets and Institutional Relations explains, the allocated resources will be allocated to projects that use digitalization to improve citizen service and redefine the quality of municipal services. The city council emphasizes the added value that intelligent and efficient data management can offer not only in the administrative sector, but also in generating new opportunities for the private sector and self-employment.
As part of the strategic planning, the city council reiterated the continuity of the strategic trade plan 2023-2026. According to the information published, this document is considered a guide for the reorganization of Santander’s commercial sector based on the challenges identified and the need for innovation. The framework of the plan regulates the cooperation between the different municipal areas and the main commercial and institutional actors.
In this process, the city council has launched several programs that promote cohesion between institutions and economic actors. The campaigns that received positive reviews include the trade gala, industry meetings around commercial coffee and the “Recipes for Success” campaign. According to the City Council, these initiatives have made it possible to maintain the continuity of the projects carried out in recent years and have helped to consolidate a network of collaboration in the face of social changes and the integration of new technologies into business life.
The city council also emphasized that digitalization is not just seen as a technological goal, but is intended as a cross-sectional resource that covers all urban areas. His efforts aim to transform public administration and enable the city to address current and anticipated future challenges. This approach aims to position Santander as a benchmark for administrative efficiency and promotion of entrepreneurship.
The roadmap set by the City Council ensures that adapting municipal services to digital patterns includes personal attention, advice and support for entrepreneurs through active listening and institutional collaboration. The aim of this work is to reduce access barriers for companies that want to develop in new areas related to innovation and digitalization.
Modernizing the Puertochico and Mexican markets, professionalizing markets, strengthening consumer incentive programs and supporting businesses in the face of purchasing habits challenges are part of the comprehensive plan presented by the City Council. According to the city council, all of these measures will be carried out in coordination with business associations and retailers.
Municipal efforts also include the search for formulas that make it possible to optimize the management of available resources, ensure an efficient distribution of expenses and offer growth alternatives for those companies that need to adapt to regulations, technologies and consumer demands. According to the city council, digitalization and data analysis will continue to play a central role in reorganizing and strengthening the local economy in the next financial year.
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