A tourism revival is evident in the Alicante province, reinforcing its role as a job creator. March figures point to a robust surge in Social Security registrations, driven by the Easter season, with 10,985 new affiliates joining the system. The services sector leads the way, with hospitality and commerce at the forefront, and unemployment also declines, pulled down by the same activities that boosted hiring.
A typical seasonal pattern shapes employment in Alicante, where services dominate the economy and tourism act as a key engine. As is common, the year began with a setback tied to the Christmas campaign, showing a January drop of 11,613 Social Security registrations and a rise of 1,217 unemployed people. Yet the situation shifted dramatically in March, as the holiday period boosted occupancy and brought a clear improvement in employment figures.
Helping to push the overall numbers higher, the total number of contributors rose to 733,250, up by 10,985 from February. The hospitality sector contributed the most, recording 86,454 affiliates after an increase of 6,265. The commerce sector also performed well, reaching 139,957 affiliates following a rise of 1,082. Within other sectors showing positive dynamics, education gained 498 affiliates to reach 47,899, while construction rose by 330 to 58,876. Agriculture stayed nearly flat, adding just three affiliates to stand at 4,710. By contrast, industry experienced a decline of 519 affiliates, totaling 82,485, weighed down by weaker consumption.
In terms of unemployment, the headline figure fell by 2,134, bringing the total to 131,107. The services sector again led the positive trend, with 1,824 fewer unemployed and a total of 89,958. Industry registered a decrease of 185 unemployed, bringing it to 15,530, while agriculture reported 66 fewer jobless individuals, leaving 4,100. The construction sector saw a more modest decline of 35, and the group without previous employment decreased by 24 to reach 9,976.