The popular Spanish seaside resort snubbing anti-tourism message with major vow

A Spanish seaside resort adored by British tourists is going against the tide by insisting all tourists are welcome there.

Benidorm lies on the eastern coast of Spain, on the famed Costa Blanca part of the region of Valencia. This area has been chosen by many UK holidaymakers over the years – and its popularity appears to only be increasing.

British tourists are confirmed to be the biggest market for Benidorm when it comes to international tourists, with 832,115 UK holidaymakers travelling there in 2023 alone. This figure marked a 5,2 percent increase from 2019, according to the local tourist board Visit Benidorm.

Asked if Benidorm is happy to welcome so many British tourists at a time when many holiday hotspots in Spain are asking their local government to regulate the tourism market, Leire Bilbao, director at Visit Benidorm told Express.co.uk: “We are happy for every tourist that chooses us.

“Imagine, they are saving money all year to invest in their holidays and they decide to choose us. Our fidelity rate is very high – 73 percent of the tourists come back to us. That is a wonderful award for us.” 

When asked whether the resort fears the possibility of losing its Spanish identity with so many British tourists and expats in the area, Ms Bilbao explained in Benidorm local traditions such as the Las Fallas celebrations coexist with more international events, such as St Patrick’s Day.

She said: “We are not afraid of losing our identity and traditions remain – you can enjoy them or not, but we have plenty of activities all year round that continue taking place as always. We have been a tourism destination for decades, and nothing has changed in our popular and cultural traditions.”

Explaining one tradition “doesn’t disappear after tourists bring us new options”, Ms Bilbao said locals “love celebrating the Day of the Netherlands or St Patrick’s Day, and we have a poppy appeal in Benidorm every year”.

This comes as a wave of anti-overtourism protests have swept across Spain in recent months.

On April 20, tens of thousands of residents in the Canary Islands took their rage on the effects overtourism has on their lives to the street. 

In May, the Balearic Islands followed in their neighbours’ footsteps and thousands marched together to ask local governments for a different and more sustainable tourism model.

Among the main issues lamented by the residents is the worsening of the housing crisis, as they claim the increased demand for holiday accommodations is pushing up the costs of rent and mortgages and forcing residents out of city centres. 

In Majorca, a few hundred locals also came together to “reclaim” the popular Caló des Moro beach from tourists. Earlier this week, some of the people taking part in a protest in Barcelona were seen chanting “tourists go home” and squirting holidaymakers with water pistols.