Costa Blanca resists Brexit backlash as tourism continues to grow

Benidorm remains ‘immune’ to any aftershocks of Brexit as Brits continue to head for one of Spain’s most famous holiday destinations, according to confident business chiefs.

Visitor numbers to the resort – and the whole Costa Blanca – continue to rise and Toni Mayor, president of hospitality employers group HOSBEC, predicts continued growth in bookings throughout this year and winter 2018.

The latest figures for sales to the British market show a rise of 5 per cent for Benidorm and 11 per cent for the whole region over 2016, already celebrated as a record year; the growth outstripping the Balearic Islands according to the February statistics.

Growth has also been identified in neighbouring towns including Altea, Calpe, and the area south of Alicante City.

Mr Mayor was in London to meet Carlos Bastarreche, Spain’s new Ambassador to the UK, and heads of the Spanish Tourism Office based in the capital.

He underlined to the diplomat the importance of British visitors to the region’s economy and how the ‘unique’ attraction of Benidorm and its lasting popularity with British holidaymakers made it ‘immune to Brexit.’

The HOSBEC leader also took time to go to the London Art Biennale and an exhibition by Spanish artist Oscar Tusquets Blanca and his show ‘Gran Benidorm.’

The series of paintings goes behind the scenes of the resort and is said to explore the humanity, architecture, history and character of life below a skyline full of towering skyscrapers.