Cautious optimism over summer tourism
Francesc Colomer highlighted the effort that has been made to adapt to the new protocols
THE REGIONAL government is ‘moderately optimistic’ about the summer tourism campaign which in recent years has seen millions of international tourists visit the Costa Blanca and other emblematic areas of the region. Visitor numbers have started to rise - as this photo of Cala Barraca in Jávea shows.
THE VALENCIA government is ‘moderately optimistic’ about the summer tourism campaign which in recent years has seen millions of international tourists visit the Costa Blanca and other emblematic areas of the region.
Regional secretary for tourism Francesc Colomer noted that the season would ‘not be like any other’ and that they expected many tourists to make ‘last-minute’ reservations.
He made the declarations on a visit to the Costa Blanca to hand out Qualitur flags to certify the quality of beaches
“It is a very complicated summer that will be hard for the tourism sector, which will be concentrating on recovering from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic,” he said.
Sr Colomer explained that they are working hard to ensure that the Valencia region is a safe destination for tourism and that the area is being promoted as such.
He added that demand from tourists coming from other areas of Spain would be ‘key’ as these visitors would be more confident about travelling.
He also noted that more airlines are starting to operate flights which will bring tourists to the area from other European countries.
“We haven’t given up on international tourism,” he stated.
Sr Colomer said they are working with the national tourism authorities but it is ‘still too early to say’ just how many tourists are likely to come from abroad.
Benidorm
Sr Colomer was in Benidorm on Friday, where he visited the
Corona del Mar hotel to see the measures put in place to ‘guarantee the safety of visitors’.
He noted that it was the first hotel to receive a ‘Covid-19 ProtocolON’ certificate from the Costa Blanca hoteliers association, Hosbec.
Sr Colomer highlighted the effort which has been made by the accommodation sector to adapt to the new protocols
He also signed an agreement to promote Benidorm nationally and internationally during the remainder of the year.
Beach security
Regional president Ximo Puig noted that the 1,000 beach assistants who have been hired will help to ensure that tourists are safe on the beaches.
He noted that they are already working on the Costa Blanca and other areas and will be in place until September 7.
They are advising people on the measures they have to take and making sure that beachgoers follow the guidelines, as well as ensuring that the capacity for each beach is not exceeded.
Any ‘incidents’ will be reported to the local police.
In Orihuela Costa, 24 beach assistants are working from 10.00 to 20.00 in different shifts, and Pilar de la Horadada has 13 assistants.