Over the last year, Alicante has weathered economic shifts that have touched job creation. Yet the region managed to add almost 22,000 new roles, signaling that local entrepreneurship and small business ventures are gaining traction for residents and newcomers alike.
Since September 2022, Social Security data shows Alicante’s self-employed workforce growing by 2,382. This marks the third-largest increase in the country, with Madrid registering 3,880 more self-employed workers than a year earlier and Málaga adding 3,306. The overall effect is a broader sense of momentum across the province rather than a single sector driving change.
Current totals place Alicante at 140,710 self-employed individuals, the highest figure on record for this month. A large portion of this growth ties to renewed tourism activity alongside a wider regional recovery. Provinces with a strong tourism footprint, including the Balearic Islands, Tenerife and the Canary Islands, have also shown notable gains, underscoring the link between visitor spending and local enterprise [Cited: Social Security data and regional economic analysis].
Of course, not all growth is centered on tourism-related trades. The hospitality sector, for example, added only 94 self-employed workers in the year, illustrating that the entire economy benefits from higher tourism spending even if direct tourism jobs rise more slowly. The broader trend is a boost to self-employment across many areas that support and complement the visitor economy.
In the past year, the most dynamic growth occurred in construction and related trades. Registrations for these professions rose by 627 compared with September 2022, covering roofers, bricklayers, plumbers, electricians and other tradespeople who are riding the wave of renovations and new promotional projects in Alicante.
Construction and renovation-related trades provide self-employment opportunities in Alicante. EP
Alongside these trades, professional, scientific and technical activities also posted gains, bringing 462 new self-employed workers into the fold. Lawyers, architects, consultants, marketing specialists and veterinarians are part of this sector, while administrative activities and auxiliary services such as property management, event organizing, cleaning and gardening registered 335 more members. The real estate market’s boom also contributed to an additional 270 registrations, reflecting activity in housing sales and related services.
In health and social care as well as other personal services, the self-employed segment continued to grow—examples include more workers in sanitary and social services plus barbering, hairdressing and fitness coaching, totaling 291 additional members compared with 2022.
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On the flip side, the trade sector experienced the sharpest decline, shedding 429 self-employed workers over the year. Despite this dip, trade remains the largest employer segment within the self-employed landscape, with a total of 34,364 individuals in that category. This evolution is shaped by multiple forces, including the shift to online sales, but also by broader economic recovery and structural changes in consumer behavior.
The primary associations representing these professionals point to several reasons behind Alicante’s uptick in self-employment. For instance, the president of ATA in the Valencian Community notes that remote work is encouraging many independent professionals to settle in coastal municipalities to enjoy a higher quality of life. Similar observations come from ATA-CV and UPTA-PV, who emphasize cultural factors and a regional identity where entrepreneurship feels natural and accessible. The comment that many start their own businesses after gaining practical experience resonates with local history and the social fabric of the area. Self-employed workers now account for about 19.2% of total employment in the region, roughly three percentage points above the national average [Cited: ATA and UPTA-PV statements and regional labor data].
Women and self-employment
Although men still represent a larger share of self-employed workers in absolute terms, women contributed more to the growth in 2023. They accounted for 53% of the increase in new registrations under the Special Social Security regime that supports these professionals. This trend aligns with a growing willingness among women to pursue independent ventures, aided by better work-life balance and flexible schedules that come with running one’s own business [Cited: regional business associations and workforce statistics].