Fifty years after General Francisco Franco's death, Benidorm remains anchored in a mass tourism blueprint it pioneered under his rule. While protests against overtourism sweep other Spanish holiday hotspots, the Mediterranean resort's skyline of bikinis and skyscrapers stands virtually unchanged.
Built on package holidays and a vision to reshape socially conservative Spain's image abroad, the industry pumped in much-needed foreign currency and put Benidorm on the map.
"There are no car factories here, no soap factories. What we have is a factory of hotels, restaurants and businesses that make our visitors happy," said Angela Barcelo, 72, owner of Hotel Les Dunes. Her grandmother opened it in 1957, at a time when Spanish women needed their husband's permission to open a bank account.
Barcelo credits much of Benidorm's success to women. "What Benidorm is today is thanks to the women," she recalls, explaining that with local men often at sea, women managed family assets and launched many of the first hotels and guesthouses.
Five decades on, the Franco-era tourism model shows no sign of fading and its legacy continues to spark conversations about sustainability, community impact, and the future of mass tourism.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
