BILBAOCENTRO is a not-for-profit association which brings together shops, restaurants and hotels, and tourism and services companies situated in the Abando district, Bilbao’s central district.
BilbaoCentro’s objectives include the following:
Representation:
BilbaoCentro defends the individual interests and needs of its associates and advises them in relation to any doubt which they have in their activity.
Training:
Every year BilbaoCentro offers courses in different areas for the training and improvement of its associates: computing, social networks, management techniques, negotiation with suppliers, design (Photoshop), shop window-dressing, packaging, wine tasting, food handling, suppliers’ presentation, tourism and gastronomy management (Basquetour, Basque Culinary Center).
Information:
BilbaoCentro negotiates and reports on the municipal bylaws on trade and restaurants/hotels which have to be taken into account when it comes to managing a business, as well as managing the subsidies and grants from different bodies like the Basque Government, SPRI, Provincial Council of Bizkaia or Bilbao Ekintza.
Commercial urban planning:
The Association works with the City Council in order to give priority to urban development projects which improve the commercial and restaurant/hotel activity in the centre of Bilbao. We could stress making the streets pedestrian, installing terraces, lighting, the improvements to accessibility and widening the pavements in the busiest areas.
Associative World and Institutional Relations
BilbaoCentro belongs to Bilbao Dendak, an association in which the Bilbao associations work, together with the City Council and the Chamber of Commerce, in order to improve the sector.
BilbaoCentro forms part of the Bilbao Commerce Committee which was set up in 2008 and chaired by the Mayor Bilbao, which seeks to provide a direct channel in order to achieve the demands of the associations.
BilbaoCentro also works together with the Provincial Council of Bizkaia in order to boost tourism and the relations with the affected sectors, namely commerce and restaurants and hotels in the centre of Bilbao.
As regards the grants and subsidies, work is done to channel these from the Basque Government or the City Council to the sector and to benefit the associated companies from any type of grants to modernise or improve the businesses.
The association offers its associates a wide range of services for the different sectors with a presence in BilbaoCentro:
Specific training for the different sectors: courses on shop window dressing, packaging, office programmes, Internet and social networks, negotiation with suppliers, innovative management techniques, Photoshop, Basque language, food handling and Anfitriones project (specific plan for the tourism sector from the Basque tourism agency - Basquetour).
Promotion of Days of Consumption: Start of the Sales, Valentine’s Day, Father’s/Mother’s Day.
BilbaoCentro Bags: we offer the possibility of buying BilbaoCentro bags at an excellent price with immediate delivery.
BilbaoCentro Premises: The Association has its premises in Particular de Indautxu nº 1 which is available to the associate. Due to its large size and layout it can be used for a wide variety of activities like wine tasting, social acts, conferences, rotating outlet for the associated brands, etc.
Agreement with car parks in the area so that the associates can offer this added service to their customers.
Competitions (shop window dressing, pintxos tapas, gin tonics), wine tasting, visits by food critics, training trips to vineyards and suppliers.
Presentation of services companies: the associates can offer their services to the other members and present offers or discounts.
Employment and Real Estate Intermediation Service: BilbaoCentro helps the associated companies to find the most appropriate personnel for each business or situation using the association’s labour exchange and intermediation with employment institutions, like Lan Ekintza Bilbao. We also collaborate in the search for commercial premises for new businesses or the transfer of those already existing.
BilbaoCentro commercial plan and routes: this contains the city’s main tourism points and the associated companies together with their adverts.
Webpage and social network (Facebook, Twitter, Youtube): BilbaoCentro is on the Internet via its webpage (www.bilbaocentro.com) and on the social networks
twitter.com/Bilbao_Centro
www.youtube.com/user/BilbaoCentro
Bilbao Tourism Mobile Application: BilbaoCentro has a website and a new app for mobile phones and tablets which are references for the tourists visiting the city and also for the residents of Bilbao, as they allow Bilbao to be discovered in detail. The main structure provides access to sections with information on each sector:
1.- BilbaoCentro.
2.- Gastronomy.
3.- Tourism and Culture.
4.- Sport and Leisure.
5.- Shopping.
In order to promote and disseminate Bilbao’s commercial and tourism offer, the Association carries out an extensive programme of entertainment and commercial promotion activities to make the area more attractive and to bring customers. These activities seek to promote and help the sales of our associates in the different sectors where the association participates.
BilbaoCentro is concerned about its environment and develops an active Corporate Social Responsibility policy contributing to Bilbao’s social, economic and environmental improvement. On this matter, many actions are performed which support the commercial contribution to a fairer and more equal society.