Tourism reaches new heights: Record spending and expanding flight connections

The Costa Blanca continues to strengthen its position as one of Europe’s leading tourist destinations, with record-breaking visitor spending and new international flight routes helping drive growth across the region. The latest tourism figures reveal a landmark month for the local economy, while Alicante-Elche Airport has expanded its global reach with the launch of a brand-new connection to Armenia.

Record-breaking visitor spending

The Costa Blanca has reached a major tourism milestone, with international visitors spending more than €1 billion in a single spring month for the first time in history.

New figures show foreign tourists spent an estimated €1.024 billion across the Costa Blanca during April, underlining the region’s growing success in attracting visitors well beyond the traditional summer season.

The record-breaking figure represents a 16 per cent increase on the same month last year and highlights how the Costa Blanca is increasingly becoming a year-round destination rather than simply a summer hotspot.

More than 900,000 international visitors are estimated to have travelled to the Costa Blanca during April, helped by Easter holidays, strong flight connections and growing demand from key European markets.

The latest figures suggest the region is on course for one of its strongest tourism years ever, with foreign visitor spending already running well ahead of previous records.

One of the Costa Blanca’s biggest advantages continues to be the length of time tourists spend in the region. Visitors stay an average of more than nine days, one of the highest figures anywhere in Spain, helping to generate significant income for local businesses, restaurants, shops and attractions.

The region also benefits from a large number of second-home owners who return throughout the year.

New route opens links with Armenia

A brand-new direct flight route linking Alicante with the Armenian capital of Yerevan is now up and running.

The new service, operated by FlyOne Armenia, officially launched on 4 June and immediately became the longest direct route ever offered from Alicante-Elche Airport. Covering approximately 3,800 kilometres, it overtakes Reykjavik in Iceland, which previously held the record at around 3,200 kilometres.

The route also marks a significant milestone for the airport, creating the first-ever direct air link between Alicante and Armenia.

The inaugural flight from Yerevan arrived on the Costa Blanca on Thursday evening, 4 June, while the first outbound service departed shortly afterwards, opening up a completely new destination for travellers from the region.

Flight times are expected to be around four hours and 40 minutes from Yerevan to Alicante, with the return journey taking approximately five and a half hours.

The new connection strengthens Alicante’s growing links with Eastern Europe and makes the airport only the second in Spain, after Barcelona, to offer direct flights to Armenia.

Strong outlook for tourism growth

The combination of rising visitor numbers, record levels of tourist spending and expanding international connectivity paints an encouraging picture for the Costa Blanca’s tourism sector.

Improved air links continue to play a vital role in attracting new visitors and opening up emerging markets, while the region’s climate, beaches, gastronomy and growing range of attractions help encourage longer stays and repeat visits.

With international spending continuing to rise and visitor numbers remaining strong, the Costa Blanca’s push towards year-round tourism appears to be paying off. As the summer season gathers pace, local businesses will be hoping these positive trends continue, helping make 2025 one of the most successful years on record for tourism across the region.