Benidorm closes 2023 with an increase in tourists from all international markets

Benidorm closed in the year 2023 with an increase in the number of tourists in all international markets. This is clear from the annual report of Visit Benidorm that was released coinciding with the International Tourism Fair (Fitur) that is being held these days in Madrid and that the mayor, Toni Pérez, analyzed today. Specifically, the city received 2,766,366 travellers last year, 3.8% more than in 2019, "the year before the pandemic in which Benidorm, like many other tourist destinations, signed a practically historic record."

According to the figures provided by the mayor, “Benidorm received 5.2% more tourists from the United Kingdom last year than in 2019. And all this, even though in 2023 there were 7% fewer seats on air connections between the United Kingdom and the Alicante-Elche airport, which, on the other hand, is currently the first for British customers in Spain.” Toni Pérez has indicated that last year 832,115 British citizens chose Benidorm as a holiday destination, 41,239 more than in 2019.

The rest of the international markets have registered increases ranging from 3.2% in Belgium to 88.4% in Italy, with the increase in travellers from Portugal, the third largest source market, also being very representative, reaching 67. 7% growth. The mayor specified that "although, in absolute terms of travellers, these markets are far from the figures for the United Kingdom, as a whole they represent a very representative number of visitors: 242,348."

These growth figures, Pérez stated, “are the result of the intense and constant work carried out by Visit Benidorm in these sending markets to position the destination.”

Concerning the national market, the year 2023 has ended with a slight decrease in the number of travellers, 1.7% less, "mainly due to the delay in the implementation of the Imserso program, a circumstance that makes few dates have already been noted by the Hosbec hotel association and we hope it will not be repeated in 2024.”

Toni Pérez explained that “despite this general increase in the number of international travellers, Benidorm does not escape the trend that is being observed in the vast majority of destinations: a certain decrease in the duration of tourists' holidays which, obviously, “has an impact on the number of overnight stays.”

Thus, 2023 ended with 15,023,330 overnight stays, 5.9% less than in 2019, because the average stay has been reduced in hotels by half a day, by one day in the case of tourist apartments and by two in the campsites. Thus, the average hotel stay was 4.8 days per traveler; while in apartments and tourist homes, it was 5.6 days and 21 in campsites.

In terms of occupancy, last year hotels closed at levels similar to those of 2019, with 80.4%, which represents a decline of 3.8 points. The rest of the accommodation options, for their part, ended 2023 with practically the same results as four years ago, although with slight improvements. Thus, the tourist apartments obtained an average occupancy of 73.4% - 0.3% more -; and campsites and tourist homes 90.5% -both increasing by 0.2% compared to 2019-.

The rest of the indicators evaluated by Visit Benidorm close positively. This is the case of employment, which in the Benidorm hotel plant alone has grown by almost 9% to reach 6,024 workers. The number of employees has also grown in the rest of the accommodation modalities.

A favourable balance, furthermore, for the REVPAR average, revenue per available hotel room, which was 70.8 euros, 13.3% more. The average rate per room has also experienced an increase, which last year stood at 96 euros, 21.3% more.

And within the parameters analyzed, the mayor has especially highlighted the degree of overall satisfaction with the destination expressed by tourists which has grown 12 points compared to 2019 to reach 78.9 out of 100. The section in which there has been the most Customer satisfaction has grown for hotels, which has gone from 50.4 points four years ago to 63 in 2023. Satisfaction with the climate has also increased, by 5 points in this case, rising to 89, 9 points; while the feeling of security and the products of the destination have hardly changed.

Toni Pérez has assured that “all these indicators confirm that the tourism sector continues to generate employment and wealth and reaffirm the strength of the Benidorm destination, which has practically completely recovered from the setback caused by the pandemic, which for months stopped activity. tourism and that closed the hotel plant in our city for the first time.” “Benidorm – he added – was a reference in the management of the health crisis and has also been a reference in the recovery that has followed it.”

The mayor has advanced that "the first indicators for 2024 are also written positively, since at this time the volume of reserves for the entire year, month by month, is higher than what we had for 2023 on these same dates." Toni Pérez has pointed out that "the starting point leads us towards optimism, but in Benidorm, we are very aware of the need to make a sustained effort over time so that the forecasts are confirmed."

“We have a very powerful tourist destination, with a very important level of loyalty and with an almost inexhaustible offer, since we are a multi-product destination, something that the operators can verify daily and that the public will also do throughout the end. "This week, visit Benidorm stand at Madrid International Tourism Fair," he concluded.