Benidorm Fest increases its impacts: the live one reaches 2.5 million, and the media and social media one rises to 225

With just a few days to go before the fourth edition of the Benidorm Fest begins, a report from ‘Pedro Zaragoza’ Chair of Tourism Studies indicates that the festival last year boosted its economic impact, both direct and indirect. The mayor, Toni Pérez, has given an account of the conclusions of this report during the International Tourism Fair (Fitur), which started today in Madrid and which on its first day hosted the presentation of a new edition of the ‘Tapa Fest’, the gastronomic initiative of Abreca-Cobreca around the festival.

The study ‘Estimation of the economic and media impact of Benidorm Fest event’ has been prepared from the information collected, prepared and analysed by professionals linked to the Chair, as well as by companies specialising in network monitoring (Atribus) and media monitoring (Onclusive). Among the data used in the study, those relating to tourist overnight stays or spending recorded in Benidorm during the week of the event through card payments.

Toni Pérez has revealed that the report states that Benidorm Fest left 2.5 million euros in the city last year, which is “an increase of more than 65% compared to the first edition”. This direct impact on Benidorm comes from “demand, that is, the public that has attended the main event and other parallel events such as the Euroclub organised by the City Council or the ‘Tapa Fest’”.

According to the breakdown included in the report, in all sectors, there was “a considerable increase in activity compared to the previous and subsequent weeks and also compared to the same period last year, in which the percentages of improvement were already highlighted”. The average growth in all sectors compared to the week before the event was 19.87%, with increases ranging from 6.61% in clothing to 39.76% in catering, 45.67% in transport or 46.97% in hotels.

In this last section, the report of the Chair points out that in terms of occupancy - not counting the technical and artistic staff of the event - Benidorm Fest 2024 attracted more than 1,700 tourists, with an average daily expenditure of 234 euros. To these would be added the people who travelled to Benidorm attracted by the events developed during the festival but who did not stay overnight in the city and spent an average of 62 euros per day.

Based on all these figures, the study establishes that the direct economic impact of  Benidorm Fest 2024 on the city was 2,568,762 euros, compared to 1,493,214 euros the previous year. These 2.5 million euros "serve - according to the report - to compensate for the real monetary investment by the local council", which stands at 250,000 euros, and "also the part of the regional financing".

During the presentation of these results, the mayor indicated that “the return of  Benidorm Fest is very significant and reaches all sectors of the city” while highlighting that “in addition to this direct economic impact, there is also the media and social media impact, which has practically tripled compared to the previous edition to reach a level that we had not imagined when we embarked on this adventure with RTVE and the Generalitat Valenciana”.

Specifically, the economic impact on digital news, websites, blogs and social networks of Benidorm Fest 2024 was 208 million euros, “much higher than the 54 million euros of the 2023 edition”, according to the study. To these are added the 17,723,013 euros from the impact on press and television, making a total of 225,873,481 euros, compared to 80.5 million in the previous year.

Aside from this economic estimate of the media impact, the study states that the exposure that the event represents for the city, which lasts until the Eurovision event in May, “makes it easier for Benidorm's business activity to remain high for longer periods of the year, increasing proximity and interest towards new target audiences”.

“We are talking about an event - the mayor has assured - that projects the image of Benidorm beyond the days of its celebration and that opens the possibility of attracting new segments of the public and, consequently, tourists, thus generating new opportunities”.

Toni Pérez has pointed out that “these economic and projection values ​​that the Benidorm Fest 2024 left us, which at the moment seem almost impossible to beat, make us reaffirm our commitment and face with expectations and enthusiasm a new edition, which in less than a week will once again place the city at the centre of media and digital attention”.

After showing the enthusiasm and excitement with which the fourth edition of the festival is being faced, the mayor has emphasised: “the collective work that is carried out throughout the year between RTVE, Generalitat Valenciana and the City Council so that this event is a success at all levels: cultural, social, tourist and media; and that this success has a direct impact on Benidorm”.

The Third edition of the Tapa Fest

Following the success of previous editions, Abreca (Bars, Restaurants and Cafeterias Association), with the support of Benidorm City Council and the Generalitat Valenciana, is promoting the III Benidorm Fest Tapas Competition starting this Friday, in which 21 catering establishments are participating. Until February 2, all of them will offer tapas at special prices; culinary proposals inspired by the festival and which were previewed today at the ‘show-cooking’ held today at Fitur, in the ‘Exquisit Mediterrani’ space of Turisme Comunitat Valenciana.

The chef of Malaspina restaurant, Álvaro Abad, was in charge of showing the proposal that his establishment has prepared for the ‘Tapa Fest’, ‘Laksa Diva’; while Sergio Garrido, from Pintxos Aurrerà, presented ‘Bésame’. These tapas were tasted by the attendees, among whom was the mayor; the Councillor for Events, Jesús Carrobles; the Director of Communications at RTVE, María Eizaguirre; Nebulossa and representatives from Abreca.

The latter explained that the mechanics of the competition will be the same as in previous editions, the winner will be chosen at the public's discretion in a vote that will be carried out through a QR code that will be available in the participating establishments. Among all the votes cast, a double ticket for the Benidorm Fest final will be raffled off, with a meet&greet with the artists included.

In addition to the Malaspina restaurant, the third ‘Tapa Fest’ will be attended by Arrocería La Marina, Cervecería l’Abadia, DNI Ibéricos, El Bodegón Aurrerá, El Linaje de Castilla, El Mesón, El Rincón de la Ribera, Freiduría Los Peces, La Brasería Aurrerá, La Cava Aragonesa, La Fava, La Pinta Beach, La Tabernita del Sur, La Tapería Aurrerá, Marisquería El Puerto, Pinocchio Playa, Pintxos Aurrerá, Shija Sabores de los Balcanes, Taberna Andaluza and Terraza Bahía.

The president of Cobreca, Pablo González, and the manager of Abreca, Irene Carreño, have invited the resident and tourist population to try the establishments’ proposals, “all of them very good” and priced at 3.5 euros. During the presentation, visitors were also able to discover the hamburger that has been created exclusively for this edition of the Benidorm Fest and which can be tasted at the Gastro League that opens this Friday at Plaza SSMM Reyes de España and where 12 food trucks will be installed.