British holidaymakers are back on top in Benidorm – after outnumbering Spaniards staying in the famous Costa Blanca resort for the first time in seven years.
National tourists claimed the number one spot in 2017 and it stayed that way right through to 2024, even though most foreign holidaymakers were still British.
But UK holidaymakers can now boast of surpassing every nationality, including homegrown tourists, according to new hotel stay figures released by a local association.
HOSBEC, the Valencian Community’s Hotel and Tourism Business Association which has a massive presence in Benidorm, says last year’s stats show visitors from the UK made up a staggering 42.5 per cent of all those who stayed in the Costa town’s hotel accommodation.
The number of national visitors reached 38.6 per cent, a throwback to the pre-Brexit situation not seen since 2016 when the equivalent figures were 46 per cent to 41 per cent.
HOSBEC described the UK as ‘undisputed leader’ in its 2025 hotel round-up today with its secretary general Nuria Montes saying: ‘The British are very strong.’
Benidorm has sidestepped the anti-tourist protests which have been held in other popular British holiday destinations in Spain including Tenerife and Majorca.
It has its own Little England area and thousands of Brits, both residents and visitors, lead the way every November at Benidorm’s famous annual Fancy Dress Party.
British holidaymakers are back on top in Benidorm – after outnumbering Spaniards staying in the famous Costa Blanca resort for the first time in seven years
Many racing fans have been turning their back on the Cheltenham Festival of late and flocking to sunspots like Benidorm where pints can cost as little as £1.70 and many pubs have large screens showing every race.
Last year there was speculation iconic ITV comedy Benidorm was set to return after seven years. The hit show followed a group of Brits abroad in the famous Costa Blanca resort.
One British couple Roger, 75, and Sue Topp, 74, from Leicester, have enjoyed stays together in Benidorm for with holiday operator TUI for 35 years – totalling to 130 visits.
During last year alone, the pair have spent eight breaks in Benidorm and first went to the popular spot in 1987.
They have spent so much time in the European destination that they see it as their ‘second home’.
‘We used to do UK holidays, but it was always a gamble with the weather, then we came to Benidorm once and that was it,’ Roger says.
‘It’s friendly, clean, safe and the value is unbelievable. You can get a glass of wine for one to two euros and a full meal for less than you’d spend on a takeaway back home.’
Roger and Sue urge others to give Benidorm a chance and say: ‘Ignore the stereotypes. It’s one of the friendliest, best-value places you can visit, something for every age and budget. If you don’t enjoy Benidorm, you’ve only yourself to blame.’
National tourists claimed the number one spot in 2017 and it stayed that way right through to 2024, even though most foreign holidaymakers were still British
Elsewhere in Spain, thousands of demonstrators took to the streets in Barcelona, Mallorca and Tenerife last year accusing mass tourism of driving up rents, pricing residents out of their neighbourhoods and overwhelming city centres.
In Barcelona, activists marched through popular tourist zones holding placards and squirting passing sightseers with water pistols in the latest show of anger at overtourism.
The backlash has grown so significant that the UK-based travel body ABTA has issued guidance for its members on how to reassure worried clients about travelling to Spain.
Susan Deer, ABTA’s director of institutional relations, said British agencies were increasingly fielding questions from customers who had seen ‘a lot’ of anti-tourism coverage in the UK media over the past 18 months. She stressed, however, that despite the headlines, visitor numbers to Spain have remained largely stable.
