The desert journey was long, yet Alicante’s shoe manufacturing, a cornerstone of the province’s export economy, appears to have steadied its recovery in foreign markets with fresh product lines. First-half sales rose by 3.5 percent from pre-pandemic levels, signaling a cautious revival after the crisis. On the flip side, the marble sector has faced a persistent decline. It remains the only major industry in Alicante with export scales below 2019, weighed down by rising costs and fierce competition from alternative materials, leaving it mired in a crisis that shows no quick end.
The health crisis triggered a global export pause due to the international curfew, with only essential goods such as food continuing to move freely. Yet the end of the crisis period has brought a swift rebound in foreign sales across most sectors, save for a few notable exceptions.
The shoe industry sits among those slower performers. The recovery has been gradual because social events that boost demand were canceled for some time. Nevertheless, signs of improvement emerged and data already pointed to this trend. The Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism reported that the province’s shoe companies exported 666.8 million euros in the first half of the year, up from 643.2 million euros in the same period in 2019. This increase marks a new milestone for the sector, suggesting renewed demand abroad and a step back toward pre-crisis records. [Source: Ministry figures]
Marián Cano, president of the Valencian Footwear Entrepreneurs Association, Avecal, called the return to pre-pandemic levels welcome news after the many challenges faced. He cautioned, however, that the recovery comes with caveats. The refreshed consumption demand is lifting sales, but it also risks triggering supply constraints, higher energy costs, and inflation in raw materials. These factors could temper growth in the months ahead. [Industry analysis]
Recovery in exports consolidated: new record despite shoes and marble
There is another important export sector in the province, marble, which has not yet returned to its pre-pandemic export levels. In the first half of the current year, foreign sales reached 54.7 million euros, still shy of the 62.1 million euros achieved in 2019 when the market had not fully recovered. Energy prices have surged, and the same is true for other essential inputs such as wood, resins, plastics, and diesel. A recent transport strike added another hurdle. The president of the Mármol de Alicante association noted these headwinds while acknowledging a stubbornly competitive landscape. The distinctive color palette of Alicante marbles, dominated by creams and ambers, faces stronger demand for white and black varieties, though demand is gradually rebuilding. [Industry commentary]
Other sectors are showing stronger rebounds. Food, plastics, metals, and toys have broadly surpassed their pandemic-era performances, signaling a broader recovery that points to resilience across the provincial economy. This broad-based improvement mirrors a global trend where manufacturing and export activity in southern Europe has begun to regain momentum as supply chains stabilize and consumer demand recovers. [Economic briefing]