Alicante targets booming Polish market with new tourism push

The director of the Costa Blanca Trust, José Mancebo, is currently in Warsaw promoting Alicante as a top destination for Polish tourists.

The event, organised by Turespaña and WizzAir, is part of a broader effort to strengthen Alicante’s position as the best-connected Spanish destination for travellers from Poland, a market expected to see strong growth in 2025.

Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández Airport offers excellent connections to key Polish cities like Warsaw, Gdansk, and Katowice. Between April and October, WizzAir plans to operate 421 flights on these routes, boosting tourism to the Costa Blanca.

In 2024, nearly 900,000 passengers travelled between Poland and Alicante, a 57.2 per cent increase from the previous year. The trend is expected to continue, as the Costa Blanca is the most popular destination for Polish visitors to the Valencian Community, attracting 73 per cent of those travelling to the region.

Mancebo highlighted that this initiative aligns with the Spanish Tourist Office in Warsaw’s 2025 Operational Plan and reflects strong collaboration with WizzAir. He emphasised Poland’s growing importance as a key international market, revealing that over 330,000 Polish tourists visited Alicante in 2024, staying an average of 19.3 nights—significantly longer than other international travellers. Most visitors (98 per cent) arrive by plane, and 87.2 per cent come for leisure.

The promotional event in Warsaw attracted major Polish media outlets, including print, digital, radio, and social media professionals. Mancebo outlined a packed agenda for 2025, with Costa Blanca representatives attending major tourism events in Poland. These include the Bike Expo Warsaw (April 5-6), a leading fair for active and cycling tourism, and the Nekera Workshop (April 7-10), where they will meet with tour operators and travel agencies. Later in the year, from October 23-25, they will participate in the All in Too workshop to strengthen ties with key industry players.

“These initiatives aim to boost Costa Blanca’s visibility in Poland and attract a wider range of visitors,” Mancebo stated. Data shows that 33.2 per cent of Polish tourists choose hotels or tourist accommodations, while 22.5 per cent stay in second homes, reflecting Poland’s strong presence in the region’s real estate market. Additionally, 19.2 per cent opt for rental properties, and over 24 per cent stay with family or friends.