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The Valencian Community overcomes the challenges of 2024 and faces 2025 with tourist optimism

 

• The city of Valencia closes 2024 with 79.7% occupancy, marked by the impact of the DANA in recent months
• Benidorm slightly increases its annual occupancy and advances in deseasonalization
• The Costa Blanca registers a 4.7 percentage point increase in its hotel occupancy during 2024
• Castellón is close to 71% hotel occupancy and is growing in the months of February and March

After collecting data from the last fortnight of December, the BigdataHOSBEC department presents the balance of hotel tourism activity in the different points and areas of the Valencian Community during 2024.

Tourism in the Valencian Community has experienced a year marked by great contrasts. While destinations such as Benidorm consolidated their international leadership, the DANA in October was a specific challenge, impacting the perception and tourist activity in certain areas.

Despite these challenges, the sector has demonstrated a remarkable capacity for adaptation and resilience. The rapid response to adversity, coupled with the continued support of international markets, has allowed the Valencian Community to maintain its attractiveness as a competitive and resilient destination.

Thus, the province of Valencia closes 2024 with 81.5% hotel occupancy, matching the figures of the previous year despite the impact of the DANA in recent months. Until November, the monthly data showed sustained growth compared to 2023; however, the weather phenomenon interrupted this positive trend. Even so, the province of Valencia has managed to maintain itself as a solid destination, operating nearly 400 establishments and with an average offer of 38,000 available places.

In Valencia city, the Fallas marked an exceptional start to the year, with occupancy levels above 80% that remained stable until late autumn. However, the DANA was a hard setback, with a drop of 16 percentage points in November compared to the same month of the previous year, dragging the negative trend into December. Thus, the city closed the year with 79.7% occupancy, a decrease of 1.6 points compared to 2023. However, the international market partially offset this impact with 64.7% representation of the total, with the United States (8%), the United Kingdom (7.8%) and Italy (7%) standing out as the main issuers.

As for the Costa Blanca, 2024 has shone brightly , recording an annual occupancy of 77.6% and leading the increase in hotel occupancy   with 4.7 percentage points more than in 2023. From May to October, occupancy exceeded 80%, reaching an impressive peak of 90.1% in August. Destinations such as Calpe have demonstrated their potential, achieving an annual occupancy of 81.2% thanks to its unique combination of beach, nature and cultural offering.

Furthermore, the Costa Blanca has maintained a balance in the influx of national and international visitors, with the British market representing 13.4% of international arrivals.

For its part, Benidorm has reaffirmed its position as a leading tourist icon, closing the year with an occupancy rate of 81.1%, exceeding the 80.4% of the previous year. This destination has demonstrated its ability to diversify its offer beyond the traditional “sun and beach”, with outstanding figures outside the summer months.

In September, it reached 90% occupancy , while October and the first quarter of the year also recorded notable dynamism. A clear example was the month of February, in which the destination exceeded the 2023 records by 5 points, achieving 76% occupancy and consolidating itself as an attractive destination even in winter.

In the province of Castellón, the deseasonalisation strategy has continued to be key. With a vibrant calendar that includes festivals, food fairs and sporting events, Castellón closed the year with an occupancy rate of 71%. The months of February and March were particularly notable, with increases of between 4 and 6 percentage points compared to last year.
 
In addition, it should be noted that despite the closures that are concentrated between November and February due to seasonality, the province maintains more than 19,000 active places, a figure that is increasing compared to 2023. The national market remains the main driver of tourism in Castellón, representing 80.2% of visitors, while the international market, led by France (4.5%), the United Kingdom, Germany and Italy, continues to grow.

Outlook for 2025
Looking ahead to 2025, the outlook for tourism in the Valencian Community is encouraging. Early bookings haveseen a notable growth in the last few months of 2024, reflecting a change in mentality among travellers, who are looking to plan further in advance to ensure the best conditions. This phenomenon highlights the growing interest in destinations such as the Valencian Community, which are positioned as favourites both nationally and internationally.

Furthermore, the tourism promotion campaigns launched throughout the region, especially after the impact of the DANA, seek to consolidate the Valencian Community as a preferred destination. These actions not only reinforce the image of the region, but also seek to boost its economic recovery through tourism, highlighting its diverse offering adapted to all times of the year.

With these strategies in place, together with the renewed interest of travellers in planning ahead, 2025 is shaping up to be a promising year for tourism in the Valencian Community, consolidating its position as one of the most attractive destinations due to the variety of its offerings.