Dilip Kuner
BENIDORM’S beaches are ready, tourism services are in place, bars and restaurants are starting to reopen and hotels are on standby – all that is missing are the British tourists.
The city’s mayor, Toni Perez, today said: “Benidorm is waiting for everyone to come, there is room for everyone.”
But he recognises there could be some tough months ahead, saying that the city is working to a figure of just 25% of hotels reopening initially. He said: “In reality we must work according to demand because we have a large hotel base.”
With EU arrivals – including from the UK – allowed into Spain from today without a quarantine period, the city’s council and businesses have made sure those who arrive will receive a warm welcome.
The Brits and Germans are the most important tourists in terms of numbers. But while Germans can book their holidays relatively worry free, British numbers are expected to stay low while the UK keeps its 14-day self-isolation period for people returning home.
For this reason, Perez expects that the majority of Brits to arrive in the region will be those who own second homes and not people having their annual two-week holiday.
These exclusive photos taken for the Olive Press yesterday by David Proctor show how quiet the city is – but still ready for an influx of tourists at any moment. Hopefully, it is the calm before the storm.
