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Date Published: 23/01/2026

Alicante and Benidorm celebrate record tourism year as Costa Blanca momentum builds

Strong international demand, festivals and events drive a standout year for the province’s biggest destinations

The Costa Blanca’s two tourism heavyweights have closed 2025 on a high, with both Alicante city and Benidorm reporting record-breaking visitor figures at FITUR, Spain's big international tourism fair, underlining the strength of the province as an international destination.

In Alicante, the Ayuntamiento confirmed that more than 1.5 million tourists visited the city during 2025, a year shaped by festivals, cruise arrivals and the city’s role as Spain’s Capital of Gastronomy. Tourism councillor Ana Poquet said the growth was driven by the city’s diversified offer, while mayor Luis Barcala described hotel occupancy as “almost a constant full house”.

The impact has been felt well beyond the summer months. Even during traditionally quieter periods, hotel occupancy exceeded 60%, reinforcing the city’s push for year-round tourism rather than seasonal peaks.

Gastronomy played a central role, generating an estimated €42 million for restaurants and accommodation, but it was far from the only success story. Cruise tourism also surged, with 103 port calls bringing 250,000 passengers into the city, a figure expected to grow further next year with the arrival of a second cruise line alongside MSC.

Music tourism proved equally powerful. Five major festivals attracted around 400,000 visitors, while the city also strengthened its position in conference and business tourism, hosting 80 events with 20,000 attendees. Film and television production added another layer, with 54 shoots recorded and major projects already confirmed for 2026.

Barcala summed up the approach clearly, saying the goal is “not to die of success”, but to focus on quality tourism that delivers long-term value.

Air connectivity was a major catalyst in 2025’s tourism surge, with Alicante‑Elche Miguel Hernández Airport handling an exceptional volume of travellers. The airport reported almost 20 million passengers in 2025, an increase of around 8.5% on the previous year, highlighting its status as one of Spain’s busiest international gateways and a central driver of tourism to the Costa Blanca region.

That connectivity is set to strengthen further in 2026: the winter 2025–26 schedule features direct flights to 120 destinations in 29 countries with 8.2 million seats available, a 10% increase on the previous winter, while airlines like Austrian are reintroducing routes such as direct flights to Vienna from spring 2026.

These expanded networks support diversification of markets and help extend the season outside peak months.

Looking beyond immediate schedules, major infrastructure plans are underway. The Spanish airport network’s next planning document anticipates investment to expand Alicante‑Elche’s terminal and improve capacity to handle growing passenger numbers, with the aim of accommodating up to 26 million passengers annually in the longer term.

Just up the coast, Benidorm presented figures that once again place it among Spain’s top urban destinations. According to provisional data shared by mayor Toni Pérez, the city welcomed just over 3 million travellers in 2025, generating more than 16.2 million overnight stays.

International visitors continued to dominate, accounting for nearly 68% of overnight stays, with the UK remaining the leading market. Pérez highlighted the city’s ability to manage high volumes responsibly, noting improvements in employment figures and visitor satisfaction alongside tourism growth.

He also stressed the importance of data-led planning to diversify Benidorm’s calendar and attract new visitor profiles, while acknowledging global uncertainty. “We are going to have a very good year,” he said, while warning that geopolitical factors still create unpredictability.

Alicante is also actively targeting new international markets for 2026, advancing plans to promote the city in China through partnerships with the China‑Spain Association for Culture and Economy and initiatives following official business delegations between Alicante and the Weihai region in late 2025. These efforts aim to open up what has been a relatively untapped Asian market, while strengthening promotional work in other key source countries.

Together, the results from Alicante and Benidorm, as well as future plans, paint a clear picture of a destination that is evolving, investing and consolidating its position, allowing the Costa Blanca to enter 2026 with confidence.

You might also be interested in: Torrevieja and Orihuela shine at FITUR 2026

Image: Ayuntamiento de Alicante

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