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Think of sustainable tourism and what springs to mind? An off-grid eco lodge, perhaps, with composting toilets and solar panels. Or a community tourism initiative in an exotic destination. The chances are that you’re not picturing a high-rise hotel in Benidorm.

Surprising though it may seem, this purpose-built resort on Spain’s Costa Brava could prove an unlikely flag-bearer for a new kind of sustainable tourism. The first taste of “abroad” for generations of British holidaymakers, Benidorm is actually far more popular with Spanish tourists, with one million domestic visitors flocking there in 2024 (compared to 900,000 visitors from the UK). “I have a feeling that these visitors did not come for the stereotype of full English breakfasts and pub crawls, but for something often overlooked by international tourists: the authentic, everyday rhythm of Spanish coastal life,” writes Leah Pattem, who first visited the resort with her family when she was eight years old.

Benidorm’s saving grace, argues Pattem, is that it was designed to accommodate large numbers of domestic and international visitors: “Unlike the ‘live like a local’ model that has backfired in Spain’s big cities – such that more and more apartments once meant for residents are now exclusively for tourist use – Benidorm has absorbed demand with ease while still offering an authentic Spanish experience.”

Still not convinced? Look beyond the strip of hotels and Irish pubs and you’ll find quiet coves frequented by locals, authentic tapas bars and family-run restaurants serving elegant dishes rooted in Alicante’s coastal traditions. Even the 1960s and 70s high-rise architecture, which earned Benidorm the nickname “New York of the Mediterranean”, is winning over a new generation of fans.

“In a country grappling with overtourism, Benidorm’s purpose-built design shouldn’t be dismissed as inauthentic,” writes Pattem. “It’s a uniquely Spanish solution to a modern global challenge – and a city with space for everyone.”