Puerto Santiago and Playa del la Arena on the western coast of Tenerife are in many respects an undiscovered area for foreign business owners. For many who live on the island or visit, they are small towns somewhere on the road between Playa de las Americas and los Gigantes. For those who run businesses there, it is a prosperous, cosmopolitan hub.
The two seaside towns of Playa de la Arena and Puerto Santiago are a pleasure for tourists. More reminiscent of the pretty towns and villages that dot the Mediterranean coastlines of France and Italy, they offer a more authentic local experience.
The hotels, apartments and villas in and around Playa de la Arena and Puerto Santiago are popular with a cosmopolitan range of holidaymakers who shy away from the brash bars of Playa de las Americas. In any case, the huge resort cities of Americas and los Cristianos are some half an hour away by car, which dissuades most visitors from leaving the area… much to the delight of local businesses!
There are approximately 4,700 tourist beds in the area. These are spread amongst four hotels and seventeen tourist apartment complexes, providing a lucrative revenue stream to local businesses. Competition is far less intense than the large resorts on the island, and the pace of life is just that little bit slower.
This easy pace adds to the charm of these two seaside towns and tourists are understandably very loyal to the area, a large proportion of them return year in, year out. Cafés, bars and restaurants overlook the beautiful natural black sand beaches and the clean, well maintained streets mean that tourists feel safe to wander into the towns to shop, dine or stop for a drink. Many of these businesses greet their returning annual patrons like old friends.
It is not just the tourists who are loyal to Playa de la Arena and Puerto Santiago but also the locals. A real sense of community exists, which has been completely lost in the larger resorts. Many would argue that the quality of life they enjoy is far superior here than Tenerife’s brasher tourist areas. What is certainly true is that doing business in the municipality of Santiago del Teide is less hampered by inefficient bureaucracy than areas such as Arona. The local authorities here are blisteringly efficient in comparison!
If you are looking for a good balance between lifestyle and running a business, then Playa de la Arena and Puerto Santiago should probably be near the top of your list to consider.., if not at the very top. If you are worried about being too far away from a Mcdonalds… then perhaps they are not for you!