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Costa Blanca Tourism Surges as British Holidaymakers Drive Spring Boom — Hotels Outperform 2025 with Near 80% Occupancy

 

Valencian Comunity / 21 April 2026

 

The first half of April has delivered a strong boost for the tourism sector across Spain’s eastern coast, with hotel occupancy in the Valencian Community reaching 78.6%, marking an improvement of around 2 percentage points compared to 2025, according to industry data.

 

The figures confirm a continued post-pandemic recovery in tourism demand, with the region’s major destinations—particularly Valencia, Benidorm, and the Costa Blanca—posting strong or record-breaking performances for the period.

 

Valencia Leads the Way with Near-Record Demand

The standout performer is the city of Valencia, which has reached an average occupancy of almost 89%, with peaks exceeding 90% during peak Easter-related travel periods.

 

International visitors now account for two-thirds of all hotel guests in the city, reflecting Valencia’s growing status as a major European city-break destination.

 

Key markets include:

• United Kingdom
• Germany
• Italy
• United States

 

Tourism analysts say Valencia’s mix of culture, coastline, and events continues to drive year-round demand.

 

Benidorm Holds Strong — UK Tourists Lead the Market

The resort of Benidorm remains the second strongest performer in the region, recording an average occupancy of around 81% for the first half of April.

 

The British market continues to dominate, making up the largest share of international visitors and, in some cases, exceeding Spanish domestic demand.

 

Breakdown highlights:

• UK visitors remain the largest single market
• Spanish “staycation” demand has grown significantly year-on-year
• Three-star hotels outperform expectations at over 85% occupancy

 

Industry figures describe Benidorm as showing “structural resilience,” with consistent demand across all hotel categories.

 

Costa Blanca Stability With Domestic Travel Surge

Across the wider Costa Blanca region, occupancy stands at 74.4%, slightly up on 2025.

 

A clear trend emerging this April is the rise of the “staycation effect”, with Spanish residents choosing domestic holidays over long-haul travel.

 

Domestic market share has increased to:

• Over 50% region-wide
• Up to 65% in southern Alicante zones

 

Analysts link this to economic caution and wider geopolitical uncertainty influencing travel behaviour.

 

Spring Demand Driven by UK and European Markets

Across all destinations, the UK has emerged as the leading international source market, ahead of Germany, Belgium and Nordic countries.

 

Tourism officials say this reinforces the UK’s role as the backbone of Costa Blanca tourism, particularly in coastal resorts.

 

Castellón Steady, Slow Growth Continues

The province of Castellón has recorded a more modest occupancy rate of 68.4%, reflecting a more domestic-focused tourism model.

 

However, forecasts for late April suggest stable bookings and consistent demand heading into the spring season.

 

Outlook: Stronger Second Half of April Expected

Forward bookings for the second half of April are already showing positive momentum:

• Valencian Community: 75%+ confirmed bookings
• Valencia city: over 85%
• Benidorm: around 80%

 

Tourism experts say stable weather and continued UK demand could push occupancy even higher into late April.

 

Industry View

• Officials from regional tourism bodies say the data confirms:
• A return to pre-crisis tourism strength
• A continued UK-led recovery in coastal resorts
• A growing reliance on domestic Spanish tourism (“staycation effect”)

 

They also note that April is now firmly established as one of the strongest shoulder-season months in the calendar.

 

   

 

  

 

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