Alex Trelinski
DOMESTIC passengers overtook UK traveller numbers for Alicante-Elche airport in July.
Figures from airport operator Aena put internal users at 133,000 compared to 111,784 Brits.
The statistics reflect a big upturn in the Spanish domestic tourist market, confirmed by Costa Blanca hotel bookings.
Last month saw 748,456 passengers at Alicante-Elche, a 77% rise on June’s numbers.
In July 2020, 422,857 people used Alicante-Elche airport compared to July 2019, when 1,721,603 journeys were recorded.
It means that the airport is still a very long way from returning to its era of record-breaking passenger numbers.
The overall national figure in the Aena airport network shows numbers roughly half of where they were in July 2019.
The Alicante-Elche statistics reflect UK passenger numbers standing at similar levels to last year, due to COVID travel restrictions.
Hot on the heels of the traditional foreign market leader, Dutch passengers totalled 70,000 with Belgians on 67,000.
Those figures are up on the same month last year.
