Alex Trelinski
COSTA BLANCA hotels reported a busier September than last year with a tourist occupancy rate of 80%- according to the Alicante Province Hotel Association(APHA).
It was the third best monthly figure of the year equalling June’s total and 1.7% higher than a year earlier, but 8% adrift of the pre-pandemic occupancy rate in 2019.
Two-thirds of tourists were from abroad, with the United Kingdom accounting for 27.6% of them followed by Ireland(8.3%) and Norway(6.1%).
Among domestic visitors, 28.4% were local- from the Valencian Community itself (28.4%), followed by those from the Community of Madrid (22.2%), Andalucia (9.2%), Catalunya (9.0%), Castilla La Mancha (6.1%), Murcia (5.3%) and Castilla y Leon (5.2%).
Occupancy rates varied greatly across the region with Alicante’s Playa de San Juan area getting 97%, followed by Javea on 89.8% and Alicante City on 88.6%.
Other figures showed Sant Joan d’Alacant at 78.0%, El Campello at 75.6%, Orihuela at 67.1%, Alcoy at 66.9%, Santa Pola at 60%, Mutxamel at 59.6%, Algorfa at 47.8%, Villajoyosa at 51.7%, Villena at 44.7% and Guardamar del Segura at 30%.
APHA said that the ‘outlook for the whole of October is positive’.
Occupancy values are expected to be similar to 12 months ago if the holiday bridges of Valencia Day(October 9) and National Day(October 12) mirror forecasts of 85% and 79% respectively made a few days ago.
