Spanish holiday hotspot becomes 'ghost town'

For generations, Spain has been the number one getaway for millions of Brits, but videos emerging online suggest the sun-soaked favourite may not be as busy as expected this summer, the Daily Mail reports.

Benidorm, long regarded as the beating heart of Brits-abroad holidays, has been branded 'empty' and 'an absolute ghost town' by shocked tourists.

Footage shared on TikTok by a holidaymaker has shown eerily deserted streets and shuttered bars during what should be peak party season.

'If you're in Benidorm right now, what do you think? Why do you think it's so quiet? Why is nobody around? Even this bar here is fully shut down,' he said.

'We're in the height of summer. Everywhere should be absolutely rammed, but it's not. It's absolutely dead. This is one of the main strips in Benidorm and it should be absolutely rammed'.

The claims have sparked a heated debate among fellow holidaymakers online.

Some agreed, insisting Spain has scared away visitors after months of anti-tourist protests across popular destinations.

One puzzled traveller said in response to the video: 'They told us not to come. What did they expect?, while another added: 'Spain stopped wanting tourists hence they might have gone elsewhere'.

But not everyone is convinced. Others insisted Benidorm is just as lively as ever - if not more so. 

One tourist wrote: 'I'm here now. It's rammed - busiest I've seen Benidorm.' Another agreed: 'It's busy at night, not the day time.'

The conflicting reports come as Spain grapples with declining visitor numbers for the first time since the Covid19 pandemic.

Restaurants, bars, and even beaches have been reported as unusually quiet in some areas, while years of anti-tourist demonstrations are said to be deterring regular holidaymakers.