Forget the anti-tourism protests… there’s one part of Spain that ALWAYS welcomes holidaymakers! As the gloomy autumn sets in, there’s still plenty of fun in the sun for Brits in BENIDORM

British holidaymakers have been hit by a spate of protests against tourism in Spain this year, leaving scores of visitors furious after shelling out hundreds of pounds to enjoy their holidays abroad this summer.

Tens of thousands of Spaniards have been flooding through cities such as Barcelona, ​​Madrid, Bilbao and Santa Cruz de Tenerife throughout the season, discouraging the more than 85 million tourists who visit Spain each year.

But there is one city, a haven for holiday bliss, where sun worshippers are welcomed en masse without judgement or disdain: Benidorm.

As the UK’s short summer comes to an abrupt end, making way for autumnal temperatures, pictures taken along the Spanish city’s beachfront today show Brits are planning to enjoy Benidorm’s hospitality for as long as possible this year.

Photos show the classic Benidorm scene: shirtless expats and holidaymakers strolling along the beach, soaking up the Spanish sun as they sit in restaurants advertising full English breakfasts.

The region has been a thriving tourist destination since the 1920s, welcoming travelers from all over the world who come to soak up the sun and spend their money on hotels, food and drink.

Although Benidorm was known for its boyish behaviour in the 80s, Balearic cities including Ibiza and Mallorca have since attracted a larger party crowd. Benidorm now attracts a friendlier and often quieter crowd looking to spend a few days sunbathing on its many beaches.

Benidorm’s three main beaches, Playa de Levante, Playa de Poniente and Playa de Mal Pas, are so well maintained that they have all been awarded the prestigious Blue Flag. This flag is awarded to beaches and marinas of the highest quality.

And tourists from all over the world, but especially the UK, know this all too well. In 2023, an estimated 832,000 of us flew to Benidorm, almost a third of all tourists who visited that year.

It’s not just Brits who are taking advantage of cheap flights and hotels in the summer, as Benidorm Mayor Antonio Perez said in January:

‘The tourism sector continues to generate employment and wealth, confirming the strength of the destination Benidorm, which has almost completely recovered from the setback caused by the pandemic, which halted tourist activity for months and forced the closure of the hotel establishment in our city for the first time.

‘Benidorm… is a benchmark in the management of the health crisis and was also a benchmark in the recovery that followed.’