A British expat, who has called Benidorm home for over two decades, has issued a warning to tourists about staying “vigilant” in certain spots.
Lucy Young, also known as The Benidorm Enthusiast and originally hailing from Leeds, first visited the Spanish resort at 16 to stay with her sister and later returned to live there.
She loves Benidorm’s “diversity” and its international community. Lucy, who now hosts the ‘Benidorm stuff‘ YouTube channel, shares insights on everything from local culture to top travel tips and dining spots.
With a staggering 832,000 Brits flocking to the sunny Costa Blanca destination in 2023 alone, Lucy emphasises the importance of being alert. She advises: “Come with an open mind and be ready to make Benidorm whatever type of holiday you want it to be, but don’t leave your common sense on the plane.”
For those eager to experience Benidorm, she cautions against a particular group engaging in a “centuries old game” and suggests: “I wouldn’t say there are areas to avoid, but there are areas you need to be more vigilant, and keep your wits about you more.”
She issued a stark warning about the risks of falling victim to scams in popular nightlife areas, “Unfortunately, these days, those areas are the areas where nightlife bars are concentrated, like the strip. Pickpockets etc use alcohol to their advantage and prey on those under the influence.”
She went on to say: “Stay well away from the pea-men. They play a centuries old game where they hide a pea under some carved out potatoes and try to get you to gamble your money to guess where the pea is. You’ll never win it.
Additionally, she cautioned: “Don’t even stop to watch as they operate in gangs with others scoping the crowd to see which pockets your phone/wallet is in, any jewellery etc and they transmit that info to other gang members around resort who may well attempt to rob you of your belongings at another location.”
A local advice site, Benidorm Seriously, also highlights the threat posed by the so-called pea men, labelling the scam as the “oldest con game in the world” akin to the card game Chase the Ace.
Meanwhile, Spain has been rocked by anti-tourism protests this year, including actions in the Canary Islands, as residents take a stand against over-tourism and its effect on housing.
Lucy, nevertheless, doesn’t see it dampening British enthusiasm for a getaway, especially in Benidorm. She pointed out, “I don’t think they have dissuaded Brits from visiting Benidorm, we’ve had a record year. Perhaps knowing that they are not so welcome in places like Tenerife and Mallorca brought even more people to Benidorm.
“Maybe we’ll see less tourists next year to Spain in general. I think most of those that had already booked for this year still went ahead with their holidays even after seeing news about anti-tourism demonstrations, but whether they will book again for next year if they had a negative experience remains to be seen.”