Benidorm needs to say bye to boozy beach bars and head upmarket, says one of its top hoteliers. Each year Brits make up seven million of the Spanish resort’s 16.2 million tourists – until the pandemic hit trade.
Last month travellers to the UK from Spain were told they would have to self-isolate for 14 days. Jose Maria Caballe, Benidorm’s biggest hotelier, believes the town must ditch its cheap and cheerful image after the current health crisis.
He said: “We can’t cater for low-level clientele to get drunk for three days. This doesn’t happen in a modern country. “Benidorm has to change because the costs are going up and hotels can’t work with such low prices. “The pandemic has been like a decisive punch to a boxer already on the ropes.