TOKIKOM and PuntuEUS join forces to help provide town businesses with a presence in Basque on the internet

  • The aim is to intensify on the internet the presence of small businesses located in towns, and the Basque language
  • The businesses will be able to obtain .EUS domain names for 15 euros to use in conjunction with the trade directories of the local media

The not-for-profit PuntuEUS Foundation, which manages the .EUS domain, and the TOKIKOM organisation, which brings together 60 mass media from the whole of the Basque Country operating exclusively in the Basque language, have recently signed an agreement to work together to expand the presence of the Basque language on the internet by promoting the spread of the .EUS domain via TOKIKOM members.

Facilities for small retail outlets

The first outcome is a special initiative geared towards local small businesses. Through this campaign, PuntuEUS and TOKIKOM will be providing businesses with facilities to give them an internet presence through the local media’s trade directories.

So the local media that have trade directories up and running will be offering businesses the chance to purchase and/or renew a .EUS domain name for 15 euros, so that they can be linked to their trade directory pages. The market price for these domains is currently in excess of 50 euros.

As TOKIKOM’s CEO Alaitz Artolazabal explained, “TOKIKOM has its roots in local players and has a firm commitment towards local players.  Small retail outlets are the natural allies of the local media and we are extremely happy to be able to offer assistance to small businesses so that they can take the leap to the Internet”.

Josu Waliño, Director of the PuntuEUS Foundation, stressed that this agreement will have a dual purpose: “By promoting the digital presence of small retail outlets through the .EUS domains, we will also be expanding the digital space of the Basque language. We believe that taking advantage of the broad network formed by the TOKIKOM members for this purpose will be highly beneficial.”

Pioneers in Zumaia, Soraluze and Debagoiena

Once the agreement has been signed, the local media will start right away to inform local retail outlets about this offer. For the moment, the publications BALEIKE.EUS of Zumaia, PLAENTXIA.EUS of Soraluze and GOIENA.EUS will be the pioneers, but they will soon be joined by others.