Stuck at home

AN alarming 200,000 British tourists are set to stay away from the Costa Blanca this summer. And it’s not for want of coming.

There has been a 10% drop in the number of flights and seats from the UK to Alicante airport, it has been revealed.

The Costa Blanca Tourist Board has admitted that there are 67,000 fewer seats on planes flying from London Gatwick alone this summer than in 2019.

Boss Jose Mancebo insisted this was despite no reduced interest from the UK market - which still dominates foreign visitor numbers.

“The summer was planned a year ago which means there was a certain amount of conservatism in the number of flights scheduled,” he explained.

Seat offerings are a 9% fall on 2019 numbers, accounting for around 200,000 passengers.

“The demand is still there but the UK market share used to be so high, that it will take a while to recover all of it,” added Mancebo.

The drop at Gatwick, comes curiously as Manchester put on an extra 47,000 seats this summer.

Mancebo said that a lot of work has been done to extend the season through the winter and the first few months of the year were ‘very good’.

Benidorm-based hotel association Hosbec said there was a fall in the British market in early spring, but has recovered well in May.

UK bookings are now accounting for 50% of the resort's hotel occupancy.

Around two million Brits are still expected to fly in for bucket and spade holidays this summer.