Sol Costa Blanca - already shut.

Benidorm faces a harsh Winter as HOSBEC, the Hoteliers Association confirmed that there is an increase in the number of hotels closing during the off season. The tourist capital will close 38 hotels, which accounts for 7,416 beds - last year 34 closed. Antonio Mayor said "they are a necessary temporary adjustment in the current economic climate that is affecting all industries in the area". However, the Costa Blanca will continue to be a leading tourist destination.

With a declining domestic market many hoteliers cannot afford to keep establishments open (especially if they are not under the umbrella of a large group) - they have to pay staff and heat the place, so making it unprofitable. Many don´t actually make anything but break even after overheads, however, they are keeping staff in employment. Generally it is throughout the months of December, January and February that they shut up, but I have noticed some are already shut - such as the newly refurbished adult only Sol Costa Blanca on the Levante sea front. Even the Ambassador Playa will be shutting its doors in November as will Joya, Acapulco, Montemar, Andalucia to name a few.

Soon to close....

The Benidorm fiesta next week should see many of the hotels in the very centre of Benidorm full, mainly thanks to the British tourist who descend on the town and participate in the Fancy dress day which follows the end of the fiesta.

Tomorrow, Thursday 1st November is a Bank Holiday here in Spain and also across many European countries - it is All Saints Day. All the florists will be busy as traditionally families visit the graves of deceased loved ones. A lot of people will take Friday off, called a "puente" making it a long weekend, but despite this HOSBEC have reported that only 50% of rooms are occupied.... a sure sign of the decline of the domestic Spanish market. "You can book a double room half board for sixty euros in Benidorm" a spokesperson reported.

Although Benidorm needs all the funding for promoting the town, the Mayor Agustin Navarro and Secretary General of the PSOE, Ruben Martinez have diverted 100,000 euros which was due to go to the Tourism Foundation and given it to "Social Funds". This will help create soup kitchens,  a food bank,  supervised homes and help for those being evicted due to the economic crisis... sounds rather like a third world country doesn´t it!