The evolution of in . The case study of ()

Ana Espinosa Seguí [email protected] Human Geography Department The evolution of . The case study of Benidorm (Alicante)

OBJECTIVES OF THIS PRESENTATION:

- Analyse the evolution of tourism activities in Benidorm

- Use this coastal of Spain as an example of the Spanish sun and sand tourism evolution

- Travel around the history of this representative town for the regional economy

- Analyse the past, present and future of Benidorm as the capital of tourism in Benidorm

- is one of the most traditional sun and sand tourist destinations of the Mediterranean coast of Spain

- is a good example for studying the tourism phenomenon in Spain

- is a town with almost 80,000 inhabitants but 1,748,564 visitors and 10,495,788 overnight stays per year (data from 2012)

- is the place with the highest density of skyscrapers per inhabitant worldwide, and the second one after New York due to its number per square meter

- has the highest hotel in Europe (Hotel Bali ****) Photo: Courtesy of the Town Council of Benidorm Climate diagram of Benidorm (liters/m2) tª 120 30

100 25

80 20

60 15

40 10

20 5

0 0 Jan. Feb. March April May June July August Sept Oct Nov Dec

1. Benidorm has a very mild weather

Photo: Courtesy of the Town Council of Benidorm 2. There is a local entrepreneurial basis

Hotel structure in Benidorm in 2009

4% 4% International companies

National companies

30% 50% Benidorm companies (regional scale) Local companies

Independent hotels 12%

Source: Own elaboration with dat from (Vera, Rodríguez and Capdepón, 2010) 3. Loyal, durable and stable business relationships between Benidorm hotels and main countries of emission: , , Norway…

BBC serial “Benidorm” 4. Profuse and well designed complementary offer

Theme parks

Photos: courtesy of the Town Council of Benidorm 4. Profuse and well designed complementary offer Powerful restaurant industry Units 600

500 570

400

300 303 Golf courses 200 Photo: courtesy of the Town Council of Benidorm 100 157 133 0 Bars Restaurants Disco-pubs Cafeterias Source: Benidorm en cifras, 2012.

Source: www.realbenidorm.net 4. Profuse and well designed complementary offer

Benidorm palace. Opened in 1977 Source: blog.ilovecostablanca.com

Source: www.rh-hotels.co.uk

Music, dance, theatre shows 4. Profuse and well designed complementary offer

Leisure offer Units

30

20

10

0 Disco Gaming Bingos Cinemas Theme Circus Mini golf rooms parks

Source: Benidorm en cifras, 2012. Music, dance, theatre shows 5. Complementary destinations in the proximity

Source: www.guadalest.es/

Source: http://www.lasfuentesdelalgar.com Source: http://www.noticiasdot.com

Population Number of inhabitants 80.000

70.000 60.000

50.000 40.000

30.000 20.000

10.000 0 1.595 1.768 1.794 1.831 1.860 1.887 1.908 1.920 1.936 1.950 1.960 1.970 1.981 1.984 1.991 1.995 1.997 1.999 2.001 2.003 2.005 2.007 2.009

Data courtesy of the Town Council of Benidorm Photo: courtesy of the Town Council of Benidorm Before the 1950s, 1939: End of Crisis of spa Benidorm was a the Spanish tourism focused fishermen village. Civil War on high classes

1950: National 1939-1975: After the Second tourism started in Franco’s World War: the village Dictatorship in economic recovery Spain in the bulk of 1952: One of the Western European biggest tuna 1953: countries that fishery was closed Agreements provoked mass down in the between Spain international . and USA tourism trips 1956: First General 1959: Agreement Rise of massive sun Urban Development between the Spanish and sand tourism in Plan in Benidorm: a Office for the USA the Mediterranean tourism devoted town relationships and the coasts of , is planned along the US International and Spain main beaches Cooperation

Administration. 1964: Spain became Until 1959: 4 hotels were opened in the first tourist In 3 years, USA destination Benidorm granted a loan of

more than 1.9 million 1957: 30,000 tourists 1959: International EUR for the Benidorm Song development of flew from UK to Festival tourism in Spain. with British European Airways 1959: The Mayor of Hilton hotels entered and chose Benidorm Benidorm allowed the into the Spanish as the final use of bikini in the market destination for their beaches of the town. holidays Courtesy of the Town Council of Benidorm Constructive typology proposed in the First General Urban Development Plan in Benidorm

Courtesy of the Town Council of Benidorm Courtesy of the Town Council of Benidorm Opening of new hotels in Benidorm (units)

2001-2009 1991-2000

1981-1990 1971-1980

1960-1970 1950-1959 Before 1950

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Source: Own elaboration with data from (Vera, Rodríguez and Capdepón, 2010) Courtesy of the Town Council of Benidorm 1962: Construction 1959: Stabilisation Tourists from of the bull fighting Plan Western Europe square of - More economic arrived to Spain Benidorm. flexibility with their own - More real cars 1963: Second exchange rate General Urban mechanism Due to the higher

Development Plan proximity, National tourism in Benidorm which was was very scarce allowed higher the first region due to the low being skyscrapers and a purchasing power of consolidated as low habitat density the Spanish in the town population a tourism area 1964: Spain European tourists 1970: the airport of overcame Italy and enjoyed a very Alicante was became the good value for opened. worldwide tourism money due to the leader low prices of the 1975: the motorway Spain was focused Spanish tourism between Alicante on attracting mass industry (lower and Benidorm was tourism from than the neighbor built up European countries countries)

1985: Opening of From the 1960s: Cheap houses Aqualandia The Spanish image and land helped amusement park is based on stereotypes and foreign investors cultural and to buy houses in religious traditions tourist areas

From 1980, offer 1975: starting of the International during the democracy tourism wintertime uses companies half of the “sun and 1986: Entrance in the cornered the sand product” EU Spanish domestic

(pensioners from market In the last decades, Spain and the rest tourism has been of Europe) looking Tour operators planned by regional for SUN and mild controlled a large weather governments, being committed to raise the part of hotel offer and services Around 20% of the quality of the offer (more diversified, (shows, theme hotels close during parks…) the wintertime environmental friendly and sustainable) „The sun passes the winter in Benidorm and the breeze, the summertime”

Courtesy of the Town Council of Benidorm Courtesy of the Town Council of Benidorm Registred inhabitants during the period 1997-2011

Total

Spanish people

Foreign people

Source: Benidorm en cifras 2012 Evolution of tourists during the period 1997-2011

Total

National tourists Foreign tourists

Source: Benidorm en cifras 2012 - 2000: Opening of Terra Mítica amusement park

- 2000: Opening of Aqua Natura and Terra Natura amusement park

- From 2005, Benidorm covers the niche market of luxurious hotels with 1024 hotel rooms in 5 stars hotels

- Part of the hotel room offer has been upgraded or renovated.

- British tourists are the first market, followed by Dutch tourists. In the last years, Russian and Polish tourism has significantly grown.

- Many ex-tourists from Western Europe became residents in the surroundings of Benidorm Source: https://maps.google.es In the last decade, internet opened new possibilities for direct sale of tourist products: - not so dependent on tour operators - Many British tourists book now directly on internet

NEW TRENDS IN BENIDORM: - Reconvert the excess of room offer to apartments or offices - Gain accesibility and safety in old buildings and built more sustainable buildings Source: Benidorm Hotel beds category during the period 1997-2011 en cifras 2012

3***

4****

2**

5***** 1*

Solid waste collection (2012) (tonnes)

7.000

6.000

5.000

4.000

3.000

2.000 Jan. Fe b. March April May June July Aug. sept. Oct. Nov. De c.

Water consumption (2012) Litres

1.400.000 1.200.000 1.000.000 800.000 600.000 400.000 Source: Benidorm 200.000 en cifras 0 2012 Jan. Feb. March April May June July Aug. sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Monthly rate of hotel occupancy in Benidorm

January February March April May June July August September October November December

0 20 40 60 80 100 %

Source: Benidorm en cifras, 2012 Annual rate of hotel occupancy % 90

80

70

60

50

40 San Benidorm Adeje Calvià Palma de Pájara Arona Bartolomé de Tirajana 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

Source: www.ine.es Accomodation offer (2012)

Campings 15%

Apartments Hotels 29% 55%

Cheap hotels and guest houses 1%

Source: Benidorm en cifras, 2012. Days of stay of tourists 8

7

6

5

4 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Costa Blanca Benidorm

Source: www.ine.es Courtesy of the Town Council of Benidorm - Excessive dependence on the British market

- Benidorm is increasing direct sales through internet in order to decrease foreign tour operators dependence.

- Benidorm has mantained a high density habitat

-It is surrounded by that have used the capital of Costa Blanca as an anchor for urban sprawl.

Courtesy of the Town Council of Benidorm - History Channel: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scxqyBx8lxI

- Benidorm en cifras (2012).

- Pellejero Martínez, C. (2002): La política turística en la España del siglo XX: una visión general, Historia contemporánea, nº 25, 233- 265 pp.

-Sánchez Sánchez, E. (2001): El auge del turismo europeo en la España de los años sesenta, Arbor CLXX, 669, 201-224 pp.

- Vera Rebollo, JF; Capdepón, M. (2010): Reestructuración y competitividad en destinos maduros de sol y playa: la renovación de la planta hotelera de Benidorm. Available online: http://rua.ua.es/dspace/handle/10045/14180 The evolution of tourism in Spain. The case study of Benidorm (Alicante)

Ana Espinosa Seguí [email protected] Human Geography Department