The mayor defends the role of Benidorm travel agencies as a mechanism for 'tourismophilia'

The mayor of Benidorm, Toni Pérez, participated in the closing of the annual assembly of the Association of Travel Agencies of Benidorm and the Costa Blanca, AVIBE, and defended the role of these companies as the first link in welcoming visitors and tourists who visit us. "In the face of the 'tourism phobia' that some want to inoculate, we are committed to 'tourismophilia', because we are a friendly, welcoming land, and you as receptive agencies know this better than anyone," the first mayor stated in his speech.

The CdT Domingo Devesa in Benidorm was chosen by AVIBE to hold its annual assembly, the first since the election of Débora Carretero as president of the entity. In addition to the mayor and president of the Provincial Council of Alicante, as well as dozens of AVIBE associates, the regional secretary of Tourism of the Generalitat Valenciana, Cristina Moreno, also participated in this event; the director of the Costa Blanca Tourism Board, José Mancebo; and representatives of other business associations in the city, such as the president of Hosbec, Fede Fuster.

Toni Pérez recalled that travel agencies “have been facing challenges for years”, such as the appearance of new “technological elements that once represented fierce competition for this sector”. “But if there is something that cannot be replaced with technology, it is the human treatment and attention to the tourist once they have arrived at the destination, which is where you play a fundamental role,” he added.

Likewise, the first mayor has defended, once again, that “tourism is our main industry with an enormous contribution to the GDP” and that “in any forum of the tourism industry, both national and international, there are two themes that are constantly repeated. : diversification and deseasonalization. For Pérez, these are “two concepts that force us to work throughout the year offering tourists a different and diverse product. And the best channel – he added – to make our offer known is the travel agencies.”

The travel agencies in Benidorm and other points on the Costa Blanca associated with AVIBE represent 88% of the national and international tour operators that bring tourists to the city and the province. In addition, the regional Secretary of Tourism has highlighted that up to 84 travel agencies based in Benidorm and the Marina Baixa are registered in the Valencian Community Tourism Registry, which reflects their broad representativeness.