Santa Cruz now has new dedicated tourist protection police unit

[Janet]

The Tenerife Cabildo has announced a new tourist protection police unit – Prottur – for Santa Cruz which will see six specialist police officers oversee visitor security in the capital. The new unit was presented yesterday by Tenerife president Carlos Alonso and Santa Cruz mayor José Manuel Bermúdez. The unit will operate out of the Plaza de España tourist information office, and the multi-lingual officers will be able to deal with the public in English, French, German, Russian, Italian and Portuguese.

In the presentation, President Alonso said that the move was a very positive one in terms of enabling Tenerife to be characterised as a secure destination. Mayor Bermúdez himself stressed the importance of the collaboration between Cabildo and Ayuntamiento and said that the new unit was designed to attend specifically to visitors and their concerns, problems, and any incidents for which they might need assistance, including accompanying them for any denuncias which might need to be made if they are victims of a crime.

No doubt this is primarily intended for tourists coming off the cruise liners which dock in the city, not least because the service is at least initially available only between 9am and 6pm. though every day. This is, nonetheless, precisely the sort of market the authorities are aiming at, and so their feeling of security is a paramount part of their experience of Tenerife. Hopefully the scheme will make its way beyond Santa Cruz to other main tourist areas in the not too distant future as well. For the moment, it's a step very much in the right direction. JA

[Guanche]

Didn't think there was a problem now they seem to have got rid of the Roma gangs. I would have thought they would be better off placing such a squad in the South? But in general I think it's a good thing. Multi lingual Police team is good for publicity.

[El Profesor]

I reckon this is probably a response to a request . . . . or demand . . . .  from cruise companies.

[Janet]

[Guanche]

For me far to much notice is given to the cruise ships. They berth and a they pile off the ships and pile onto the busses. They take them up the hill and back again. Only getting off at the top and maybe a designated restaurant. Then its back to the ship. Some take the same route via taxi. The rest have a walk round Santa Cruz. They hit 'Next' big time. They may have a coffee. Then a quick walk around or trip on the London double decker bus, then it's back to the ship. 
So unless you own a bus company, have a taxi in Santa Cruz, own Next or are a lucky restauranteur or own a coffee shop very near to the harbour the cruse experience is not a big deal to Santa Cruz. Except for the harbour master and pilots and the people renting those bloody dangerous electric bikes and carts that whizz around the footpaths and block the roads!

I bet one plane load of holiday makers here for a week in the South spend more money on the the island than a ship full of cruise tourist. Thats why I say this squad would be better off in the South. This is our experiance from being in Santa Cruz for at least three days a week every week, usually more.

[Michael]

Never fancied cruising. Just sayin'.

[Nova]

Ah, but what the cruise companies pay in taxes - and umm... "taxes" - probably trumps anything a summer's worth of plane loads of tourists could spend in the south.  Just saying' 

[Guanche]

I wouldn't have thought it was that much Nova. Maybe €1,500 to €2,000 to park it and remove it. There maybe a passenger tax? but I couldn't see that being much per head, I would think it would be under €3,500 per ship maybe a bit more depending on size and number of passangers. But I am guessing

I would think for every ship there would be over 100 aricraft, or more? All paying landing fees and such. Again I'm guessing.


Sorry Janet I took it a bit off topic!