Benidorm Welcomes the Tourist Autumn with Pride

Just one day after the end of the tourist summer in Benidorm was declared last Sunday, the city woke up on Monday, if possible, even more colorful and anticipating the arrival of more than 20,000 people who, once again, will participate in Pride, the major event aimed at the LGBT market that in 2024 reaches its fourteenth edition.

Benidorm Pride is one of those activities that initially started to achieve the full desensitization of a destination that now, in the middle of the third decade of the 21st century, has reached that aspiration of being able to operate at full capacity (or almost) throughout the twelve months of the year.

A success that the city's mayor, Toni Pérez, sums up with one of his typical turns of phrase which, for lack of something better, perfectly defines what the sector has achieved in recent decades. The also president of the Provincial Council boasted about desensitization by stating that "where we used to talk about high season and low season, now we talk about high season and 'nice' season."

And that 'nice' season is precisely what inaugurates a Benidorm Pride whose main organizer, Santos Torres, president of the LGBT Tourism Association of the tourist capital, does not know or does not want to specify whether it is an event that bids farewell to summer or welcomes autumn. "I think it can perfectly be both. I like to think that Benidorm Pride serves both to say goodbye to summer and to welcome autumn," he says with a laugh in conversation with TodoAlicante.

Benidorm has been a 'gay friendly' destination since the very beginning of the tourism boom in the mid-20th century. This has helped, as Torres reflects, to make "celebrating an event like Benidorm Pride, gay pride, here a luxury." And he says it with knowledge of cause, "because I know many prides in Spain and even some abroad and, honestly, for its location, for its temperature and for everything; Benidorm's is a great luxury."

"Compared to those held elsewhere, what we have in our city is a street marvel and a program that people who participate enjoy and, above all, people from Benidorm. When I walk down the street I see them enjoying like crazy," continues Santos Torres boasting not only about the great attraction this first week of September holds for the LGBT public but also for other visitors and locals who enjoy and participate in scheduled events.

The week of Benidorm Pride, which will run until next Sunday, is full of all kinds of parties and cultural events; but if anything stands out above all else it is that parade-demonstration that on Saturday will travel along Levante Beach's front line with dozens of floats and thousands of participants where fun and advocacy are equally present.

"It really is the jewel of the event and the week because it’s that fusion between those who advocate and those who are watching and enjoying the parade," says Torres. The parade is for the organizer of Benidorm Pride "what really achieves that fusion although all acts are 'gay friendly'. And not just because of the parade which is the central act but also with subsequent activities held at Julio Iglesias Auditorium. People go wild there."

An event that this year 2024 will once again revive old glorious years after recovering from setbacks caused by the pandemic. "This year it's getting out of hand!" says Santos Torres. "I’m super happy because we come from years where there was a noticeable drop in participation from locals in Benidorm which was somewhat worrying. However this year we have received many registration forms."

And that despite knowing "it's something expensive: hiring a float music equipment a DJ... but they have organized themselves joined forces and participation has increased greatly. Additionally Benidorm Fest Comunitat Valenciana will also participate we will have floats coming from Gandía or Alicante... This year is going to be truly incredible."

Something he acknowledges may have been helped by full recovery already achieved by Benidorm's hospitality sector after pandemic. That tremendous economic blow is for Santos Torres "one reason" for drop in participation seen recent years.

But not only since "we also changed things last year no longer doing it so closed off as they say. We took many events out onto streets: Julio Iglesias Auditorium Óscar Esplá Bilbao Street Mirador… We spread love with hospitality holding events at various nightclubs hotels."

With this sums up Benidorm Pride organizer "a synergy has been created between businesses not just LGBT businesses but businesses here in Benidorm which is union fusion sought."

Benidorm Pride is above all a tourist festive event; but Santos Torres insists it also has strong advocacy character. In this sense he explains what’s demanded "above all equality; people having same rights regardless their sexual orientation each one doing whatever they want with their life as long as they don't bother anyone respecting each other."

And emphasizes still fighting because still seeing occasionally some comments during event on social media bit out place but really fewer every time thank God also lucky around here aren’t many homophobic attacks like other cities Spain."