Alex Trelinski
HALF of Costa Blanca’s hotels are not going to reopen before July according to a leading hotel association.
Benidorm-based Hosbec says that 50% of its members are hanging on until the foreign tourist trade resumes.
Hosbec president, Toni Mayor, said: “Despite the State of Alarm ending this weekend, the lack of international visitors, especially those from the UK, means that many hotels will not reopen for now.”
The ending of the emergency period means that the Valencian Community border will be open again from Monday(May 10), allowing domestic visitors from across Spain for the first time since late October.
Nevertheless, it is foreign tourism that fuels Costa Blanca’s hotels and areas like Benidorm.
Mayor added that the lack of business has at least given some of his member hotels a chance to do renovation work but described the current situation as ‘uncertain’.
Victoria Puche from the Alicante Province Hotels and Accommodation Association branded the reservation situation as ‘bad’.
“We are at 40% for May’s bookings but there are hardly any hotel reservations for June,” she commented.
Puche said her gloomy forecast was partly based on the April decision by Jet2 Holidays to delay operations until late June.
“The sector is paralysed with no significant visitor numbers until June and only by then will be able to see what the rest of the summer holds for us.”
A more optimistic take came from Daniel Elman from Abatur, the Alicante Association of Tourist Blocks and Apartments.
He said: “Occupancy rates have improved by 20% over the last week and we expect that number to rise once the State of Alarm ends.”
READ MORE LACK OF FOREIGN TOURISTS MEANS A QUARTER OF BENIDORM’S BARS WILL NOT REOPEN ON MAY 10
RESTRICTION CHANGES FOR COSTA BLANCA TO BE ANNOUNCED THIS SATURDAY
