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Tourism Slowdown on the Costa Blanca: Only Benidorm Matches 2024 Figures

The first half of May ends with a nearly four-point drop in the province of Alicante

Nicolás Van Looy

Benidorm

Martes, 20 de mayo 2025, 10:35

The aftermath of Easter has caused a slight slowdown in the tourism industry on the Costa Blanca, a region where only Benidorm, its major driving force and showcase, has managed to maintain the same hotel occupancy rates as in the first half of May 2024. Meanwhile, the rest of the province of Alicante has seen a nearly four percentage point drop compared to the same period last year.

Regarding the city of skyscrapers, according to data released today by the hotel association Hosbec, British tourism is largely responsible for its positive performance, raising the number of occupied beds to 82.5% during the first two weeks of the month.

By nationality, the British market continues to lead with a 50.6% share, expanding its dominance from 47.8% the previous year. It is followed by the domestic market, representing 35.1%, with a slight decrease from 37.9% in 2024. The main source markets are completed by Belgium (3.4%), Ireland (3.1%), and the Netherlands (2.2%).

Retreat on the Costa Blanca

The situation is different across the Costa Blanca (excluding Benidorm). The main destinations in the province of Alicante have concluded the first half of May 2025 with an occupancy rate of 77.1%, marking a 3.8-point decline compared to the same period last year, when an 80.9% occupancy was recorded.

According to Hosbec officials, this adjustment occurs in a context of slight moderation in domestic demand, which remains the predominant market with 43.2% of the total, followed by the United Kingdom (15.5%) and Belgium (7.1%). Contributions from the Netherlands, Norway, and France also stand out, maintaining a stable presence.

This trend is expected to continue, according to the hotel association's forecasts, in the second half of this month, when occupancy is expected to reach 74.3%, which, if confirmed, would represent a 4.3 percentage point drop.

In Benidorm, on the other hand, a contrary trend is expected, reaching an occupancy rate of 82.5%, which would result in a slight growth of just three-tenths.