Local & Spanish

Local & Spanish


Valencia Community / 13 February 2026
The Valencian Community has reinforced its position as one of Spain’s leading year-round destinations after both Valencia and Alicante airports recorded their best-ever January passenger figures.
According to data published by Aena, 1,106,689 passengers travelled through Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández Airport in January, while Valencia Airport welcomed 756,281 passengers, marking record figures for the month at both airports.
The Regional Minister for Innovation, Industry, Trade and Tourism, Marián Cano, described the figures as confirmation of the “excellent momentum” currently being experienced by the tourism sector across the Valencian Community.
Strong year-on-year growth
Valencia Airport recorded a 7% increase in passenger numbers compared with January 2025 and handled 6,257 flights, up 3% year-on-year.
Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández Airport registered a 4.7% increase in passengers compared with the same month last year and operated 7,521 flights, representing a 5.6% rise in aircraft movements.
Cano stated that the figures “reflect the strength of the Valencian tourism sector, the confidence of international markets and the positive impact of the promotion and diversification strategy we are implementing.”
She added that the sustained growth in January demonstrates progress towards a more balanced tourism model: “We are moving towards an increasingly year-round tourism structure, with activity and visitor arrivals beyond the traditional peak season.”
Call to accelerate airport expansion
The Minister also noted that 2025 concluded with record-breaking traffic at both airports and stressed the importance of accelerating expansion projects.
“These infrastructures are operating at very high capacity levels and must adapt to continued growth in demand,” she said, urging central government to speed up planned development works.
Cano underlined that both airports are “strategic infrastructures for the competitiveness of the Valencian Community, essential for tourism development, attracting investment, internationalising our companies and generating employment.”
Overview
This week across Benidorm, Altea, Albir, Finestrat, and La Nucía is mainly:
Weekly markets and street trading
Live music in bars and small venues
Early spring coastal tourism activity (boat trips, promenades)
Small cultural events and exhibitions
Gradual build-up toward May festivals in Benidorm
BENIDORM – Events and Activity
Markets and street life
Cultural activity
Nightlife and entertainment
Overall feel
Benidorm is in an active pre-summer phase with strong nightlife and steady tourist flow.
ALTEA – Cultural and coastal atmosphere
Live music
Sea activities
Overall feel
Quiet, scenic, and cultural with a strong focus on relaxation rather than nightlife.
ALBIR / ALFÀS DEL PI – Mixed expat and local activity
Markets
Live music
Cultural venues
Overall feel
Balanced area with both relaxed daytime atmosphere and active evenings.
LA NUCÍA – Local and sporting focus
Markets
Sports activity
Large sports complex hosting training camps, tournaments, and weekend events
Overall feel
Quiet residential town with activity concentrated around weekends and sports events.
FINESTRAT – Beach and market lifestyle
Markets
Tuesday and Saturday markets in La Cala area with a mix of local produce and goods
Beachfront activity
Entertainment
Low-key live music in beachfront bars rather than organised events
Overall feel
Relaxed coastal town focused on beach life and casual evenings.
OVERALL SUMMARY
Benidorm: busiest area with nightlife, markets, and entertainment
Altea: cultural, scenic, and relaxed
Albir / Alfàs del Pi: balanced mix of live music and expat social life
La Nucía: local, quiet, and sports-focused
Finestrat: beach-oriented and low-key

Local & Spanish


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