Sol Costa Blanca - already shut. |
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.... |
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!