Work is under way to have the Donostia tourist office installed within the city hall
- In the Gipuzkoan capital, the eastern part of the city building has been working for months. The City Hall provided services to leave the building and establish a tourist office. In this way, tourists are expected to access the most emblematic building in the city. When the works were approved, an implementation period of eight months and a budget of EUR 1.88 million were established. However, in the month of April, due to a technical problem they have had, an extension of the deadline has been requested, and it is expected that the work will also have extra costs.
The following services provided by the City Hall to the Donostiarras have been evicted from the City Hall building: programming department, studies and budgets; heritage service; procurement service; finance service and treasury section. They are currently in the Goikoa building, located next to the town hall. In the place assigned by these apartments, the City Hall presiding Goia is running a tourist office with direct access from the Boulevard.
"The construction of the new tourist office is underway in the City Hall. The Donostiarras are increasingly outside the City Hall and will set up a tourist office so visitors can access it," said Markel Ormazabal of EH Bildu. "There is no better metaphor for the urban model and current governance."
Tourism and lack of access to housing have marked the electoral environment of the city. According to a recent survey conducted by the City Council of San Sebastian, 65% of the population believe that it is not necessary to attract more tourists to the city.
Delays in work, overruns on the road?
On November 8, 2022, the Municipal Government approved the entry of the tourist office into the city hall. With a budget of EUR 1.88 million, the work was awarded to Altuna and Uria. On 23 January 2023, the rethinking verification minutes were approved and a maximum execution period of eight months was opened. Several media reported this and broadcast photomontages.
It has not been publicly reported, however, that the works which should be completed before 23 September do not appear to be so. In fact, on April 13, the technical secretary of projects and works, Monika Baro, the director of projects and works, Alfonso Vázquez, and the councilwoman delegate of works and urban projects, Duñike Agirrezabalaga, requested the contract resolution regarding a problem in the execution of the interrupted perimeter ring. In addition to the delay, there may be overruns.
Donostia Turismoak apirilaren 10etik aurrera jarriko du neurria indarrean, eta derrigorrez bete beharko da, bestela isunekin zigortuko dutelako gidari turistikoa.
Turismoari buruzko pertzepzioaz galdetu die EHUk donostiarrei, eta ondorioztatu du herritarren erdiak baino gehiagok “frustrazioa” sentitzen duela. Donostiako Udalak eta Eusko Jaurlaritzak finantzatu dute ikerketa.
