easyJet Holidays has launched its Costa Blanca tourist packages from 1 August. It is one of the few remaining companies to reactivate it’ business, after the big tour operators, TUI and Jet2Holidays, announced their re openings in mid-July. It is hoped that the decision will stimulate the demand of British tourism, which accounts for almost half of the market in Benidorm.
The impact of the easyJet measure is important for the holiday venue. The president of the hotel association (Hosbec), Toni Mayor, has said on more than one occasion there is a need for holidaying Britons to travel to the municipality, which is mainly nourished by the national and United Kingdom markets.
Unlike the Spanish, British tourists have a long tradition of booking their holidays as complete packages that include flights and accommodation so the late entry into the market of easyjet Holidays will prove to be an added boost.
However, the company allowed its clients to book only the airline tickets for the month of July, something that, as it was said, is extended for August.
Virtually all Costa Blanca accommodation has been closed until 1 July with its gradual opening expected to culminate this week, although in August it will be when hotels reach their maximum in terms of occupants. In total, there will be 52 active hotels that are members of Hosbec. Although it is expected that this number may increase. It should be noted that the Servigroup chain, which does not belong to any association, is also beginning to open its accommodation.
And these new openings will be able to take advantage of the British tour operators, which have always been of great benefit to Benidorm, indeed, prior to the pandemic Mayor said that business was actually on the increase.
According to sources from the hotel association, this year EasyJet planned to enter rather more forcefully into the tourist capital in a bid to break the duopoly that TUI and Jet2Holidays have long enjoyed.
However the difference is still significant, especially with Jet2, which shows much more accommodation in its brochure. The company has up to 77 different hotels in Benidorm, and around 200 throughout the Costa Blanca. TUI has around 60 in the entire province, but with greater representation in the tourist capital (44). EasyJet hotels remain at about 40 for the entire area.
