Benidorm’s tourism sector is beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Two signs this week have given hope to a sector hard hit by the coronavirus pandemic.
On the one hand, the Asociación Empresarial Hostelera de Benidorm, Costa Blanca y Comunidad Valenciana (Hotel Business Association of Benidorm, Costa Blanca and Valencia) (HOSBEC) expects a “massive” booking of British tourists to stay from late spring and throughout the summer, since the UK will allow travel from mid-May. In fact, it estimates that these weeks could be “the most booked in summer history” for high season.
The second signal has come in the form of an announcement from the government. The Minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism, Reyes Maroto, announced on Monday 22 February that the Imserso trips will be ready to be implemented in September, although if it is possible to bring the date forward, it will be made public. Given this announcement, the hotel employers are committed to boosting the supply of this program to reach a million and a half packages compared to the usual 900,000.
Benidorm council is not wasting any time and will once again divide its beaches into sections and increase the lifeguard and cleaning services for the start of the tourist season during the March and April break. The council will repeat last year’s model of safe beaches, as the beaches will once again be divided into 16 m2 sections adapted to different types of public and with capacity control, according to a press release.
The Benidorm government plans to present to the plenary a proposal for the organisation and operation of beach services during the months of March and April in order to reactivate mobility and tourist activity, especially during the San José long weekend and Easter.
The proposal, as communicated by the mayor, Toni Pérez (PP), follows the model of organisation and operation that we implemented in June 2020 and which materialised with the ‘Benidorm Beach Safety’ project, “in order to guarantee the capacity, physical distancing and health safety, as well as the enjoyment of all users, and which had such a good result and reception”.
Likewise, from 1 March to 30 April, the surveillance and rescue service will be reinforced with a staff of 19 personnel, including a boat and ambulance. In addition, the beach and cove cleaning service will be intensified in morning and afternoon shifts, in addition to the usual night service.
For the time being, there will be no sun lounger and parasol rental service, so no fee will be charged to the concessionary company.
