The popular coastal town of Benidorm is giving way to cheaper holidays to Turkey, Egypt, and Bulgaria
For years, Spain has been a popular holiday destination for the British and other nationalities, too. However, the numbers for this year show that the popularity of Spain — particularly Benidorm — has been on the decline.
Travellers have been choosing alternative destinations, such as Turkey, Egypt, and Bulgaria. These spots offer better bargains for travellers from the UK.
The number of British visitors is the lowest since 2012. Another report published earlier this year showed a drop of 454,000 British visitors compared to the year before.
Almost 20 per cent of the town’s hotel rooms stayed empty last month. On the other hand, the resort’s two-star accommodation is continuously experiencing high occupancy rate, with 90.6 per cent last May.
The statistics come from HOSBEC — Benidorm, Costa Blanca and Valencia Region Hotel Association.
However, despite the dropping numbers, Britons remain “the main market in Benidorm, surpassing the Spanish”, according to HOSBEC.
“At the moment, it seems that Brexit has no real effect on the occupancy data, although it remains a threat, along with the increase in fuel prices that can affect aviation,” said Tony Mayor, HOSBEC’s president.
Lower visitor numbers as a possible consequence of measures against drunken behaviour
Popular destinations around the world introduce a variety of measures to protect their unique environment.
Alongside other places within the region, such as Magaluf and Mallorca, Benidorm, too, has implemented preventive measures to tackle their problem with drunken behaviour.
It was announced in May after a growing number of incidents involving visitors under the influence. A number of hoteliers reported they were becoming tired of drunken behaviour which includes offending staff and fellow holidaymakers, and even destroying hotel rooms.
