Foreigners revive dwindling Alicante towns, boosting communities and reversing population decline.
Photo Credit: Carlos Torres / Unsplash
FOREIGNERS, bringing life to Alicante towns, keeping businesses afloat, filling out empty houses, and stymieing the depopulation: New data from the Spanish National Institute of Statistics, or INE, shows that foreigners, and particularly Britons, outnumber locals in some Alicante towns.
Foreigners seeking less hustle and bustle
Many of the newcomers in small Alicante towns arrive after having lived in major tourist hubs along the Costa Blanca South, like Torrevieja. They come to the more rural towns seeking to escape the bustling noise of the city and rising housing costs, looking instead to retire in a peaceful setting, work remotely, or raise their children.
Britons attracted to the Costa Blanca … for a number of reasons
The profiles of the newcomers are also varied, including European retirees, young families, and couples, both young and old, but it is true that most of the foreigners in these areas are from the UK. There are a number of reasons why Britons gravitate towards Spain, but the main reasons include the mild climate (which offers what the UK cannot: reliable sunshine), a slower, more laid-back pace of life, more affordable properties and cost of living, a higher quality of healthcare, and most of all, a higher quality of life and wellbeing.
Existing British communities also makes for an attractive option for a main or second home for many Britons. Products from the UK line Spanish shelves, integration feels less intimidating, and many people already speak English, making the task of learning Spanish less daunting.
The towns which benefit from a foreign presence
There are a number of towns along the Costa Blanca in which foreigners outnumber locals, including Algorfa, San Fulgencio, San Miguel de Salinas, and Rojales. Residents and mayors generally welcome the integration, as the strong presence of foreigners not only boosts local economy and fights back against the depopulation that threatens many of these towns, but helps to diversify the town.
Now, following the interesting trend, towns that were once dwindling in population are filling up again, languages are coexisting peacefully, and local businesses are not only surviving, but thriving.
Read more news from Costa Blanca South here.