Despite warnings of Spanish ghost towns and holidaymakers abandoning the country, one popular region is bucking the trend with a surge in visitor numbers.
Costa Blanca’s Alicante-Elche Airport has reported its tenth consecutive record-breaking month for passenger numbers, nearly surpassing last year’s total with several weeks still to go in 2025.
In October alone, the airport welcomed 1.9 million passengers, marking a 5.9% increase compared to the previous year. Of these, over a third were Brits, totalling 631,771 passengers.
Germany and the Netherlands followed, contributing 129,127 and 118,996 passengers respectively.
So far this year, the airport has seen 17.2 million people pass through its doors, and it’s projected to hit the 20 million mark by year-end, according to Spanish expat news outlet Olive Press.
The publication also revealed that the airport had its busiest October yet, with 11,931 flights, a 6.1% increase year on year.
This boost in traffic could be attributed to new routes opening up to Alicante. Ryanair recently announced new connections to and from Cardiff, Aberdeen, Bratislava, Linz, Salzburg, Bydgoszcz, Rzeszow, Stockholm Västerås, Småland, and Lanzarote.
Ryanair has announced additional flights on 29 of their existing routes to Alicante for its winter 2025 schedule, in response to the destination’s popularity during the colder months. The airport is frequented by several budget airlines favoured by Brits including easyJet, Jet2, Vueling, and Wizz Air, making it easily accessible from across the UK.
Alicante-Elche is Spain’s fifth busiest airport and the largest in the Valencian Community. Its close proximity to Benidorm, a mere 45-minute direct bus ride from the airport, makes it a popular destination for British holidaymakers.
The centre of Alicante, just 20 minutes away, boasts cultural attractions and stunning beaches. In a 2024 article, The Telegraph hailed Alicante as ‘Spain’s most underrated city break’.
This announcement comes amidst rumours that the anti-tourism protests of 2023 and 2024 might discourage tourists from opting for Spanish holidays. Although the majority of protests occurred in cities like Barcelona and island locations such as Majorca, there was speculation that anti-tourist sentiment could steer visitors towards alternative destinations, like Greece or Turkey.
Benidorm has clamped down on unruly Brits with a raft of stringent rules. A ban on sea swimming between midnight and 7am is in place, with penalties ranging from €300 to €1,500 (roughly £255 – £1,278).
Early birds looking to reserve their spot could face fines, as sunbeds, towels, or umbrellas left on the sand before 9.30am will be removed, and leaving your belongings behind could cost you up to €250 (approximately £220.33).
Smoking and vaping are also off-limits on the beach, with fines reportedly reaching into the thousands.