In the first half of February, the coastal areas of Alicante province recorded strong hotel occupancy, driven by favorable weather with high temperatures and plenty of sunshine. The rate hovered around 75 percent, marking a notable improvement over the same period last year. Benidorm stood out, with occupancy about seven percentage points higher than February 2023, while the Costa Blanca as a whole saw a ten-point rise. Foreign visitors have increasingly become a key driver of these positive results [Hosbec report].
Alongside the pleasant conditions, events such as Carnival, the Benidorm Fest finale, and Valentine’s Day celebrations have boosted demand. Many hotels launched romance packages for Valentine’s, contributing to the notable uptick in figures [Hosbec report].
Regarding origin markets, international travelers continue to account for around half of total demand, and in some destinations like Benidorm the international share climbs toward 60 percent. This growing international weight is evident in airport data from Alicante-Madrid Miguel Hernández, which shows international guests making up more than 80 percent of total arrivals in recent periods [Hosbec report].
From a geographic perspective, Benidorm achieved an occupancy of 75.5 percent from February 1 to 15, a substantial rise from late January figures (67 percent) and from the same period in 2023 (67.5 percent). Domestic guests made up about 43.8 percent, while international visitors represented 56.2 percent. Among international guests, the British market led at 39.6 percent, followed by Belgians at 4.6 percent, Irish at 1.9 percent, and Poles at 1.3 percent. Other markets remained under 1 percent. For the end of February, Benidorm’s bookings stood at 74.6 percent, already above the occupancy for the current period and expected to be surpassed as demand continues [Hosbec report].
Outside Benidorm, the Costa Blanca (excluding Benidorm) posted an occupancy of 73.4 percent, far surpassing 2023 levels when it stood at 63.3 percent. Calpe emerged as a strong draw around Valentine’s, helping push its figures above 85 percent for this first half of February. International tourists accounted for 53.3 percent of total stays, with the domestic market at 46.7 percent, mirroring the period before. In terms of nationalities, the United Kingdom accounted for 12.3 percent, followed by Belgium at 10.3 percent, and Norway at 7 percent. Other significant markets ranged between 4.5 and 2 percent, including the Netherlands, France, Poland, and Italy. Looking ahead to the remaining days of February, reservations already total about 67.9 percent, with further increases anticipated as last-minute bookings come in [Hosbec report].
Community-wide figures from Hosbec show similar positive momentum across the region. The Valencia province registered 69.8 percent occupancy, surpassing both the prior two-week period and the same interval in 2023 by about 4.4 percentage points (65.4 percent). Domestic tourism represents 51.5 percent of the market, making it the largest segment in the province. The international share, at 48.5 percent, features a diverse mix of nationalities, led by Italy at 5.5 percent of the total, followed by Germany at 4.9 percent, Britain at 4.5 percent, the United States at 3.9 percent, and France and the Netherlands each at 3.7 percent. Other markets range between 3 and 1 percent, including China, Belgium, Ukraine, and Portugal. The February mid-month occupancy forecast sits at 65.4 percent, with the carnival festival expected to provide continued momentum [Hosbec report].
Lastly, Castellón province posted an occupancy of 61.3 percent in the first half of February. Domestic visitors remained loyal to the area at 65 percent, while international travelers accounted for 35 percent. Germany led the international group at 6.5 percent, followed by France at 4.5 percent, Britain at 4 percent, Italy at 3.4 percent, and the Netherlands at 2.5 percent. Notably, reservations for the second half of February are already around 69.6 percent, signaling sustained demand in the near term [Hosbec report].