Alicante vs Benidorm

Alicante leads Benidorm by 6 points on the CIRA Index, 57 to 51. Alicante grades better on 7 measures, Benidorm on 3; the same 35 measures from public sources for both.

Scores by each organisation's criteria

• CIRA Index: Alicante 57, Benidorm 51
• OECD: Alicante 59, Benidorm 52
• UN Tourism: Alicante 57, Benidorm 49
• UNDRR: Alicante 60, Benidorm 55

Theme by theme

• Demand and seasonality: Alicante 70, Benidorm 71
• Economy and jobs: Alicante 75, Benidorm 67
• Climate and hazards: Alicante 45, Benidorm 45
• Water and environment: Alicante 42, Benidorm 38
• Community and housing: Alicante 50, Benidorm 25
• Access and continuity: Alicante 66, Benidorm 58

Where Alicante is stronger

• Domestic share of nights: 42.6 % of nights by residents of the same country (country figure) (World Economic Forum, TTDI 2026 (data: Travel & Tourism Economic Impact Research by World Travel & Tourism Council; Travel & Tourism by World Travel & Tourism Council), 2026). Between 35 and 45: grade 3/4.
• Largest foreign market: 21.5 % of international arrivals or nights (INE, foreign tourists by municipality and country of residence (mobile-phone positioning, table 52048), 2025). Between 20 and 30: grade 2/4.
• Income per head: 59,868 GDP per capita, USD PPP (country figure) (World Bank WDI, 2025). Between 45,000 and 60,000: grade 3/4.
• Municipal waste per resident: 568.6 kg per resident per year (Ayuntamiento de Alicante, 'Guía para la correcta Gestión de Residuos municipales', 2023). Between 550 and 700: grade 1/4.
• Tourism intensity: 7.6 visitor nights per resident per year (Turisme Comunitat Valenciana / INE, 'Perfil del turista alojado en oferta reglada en la Comunitat Valenciana' & INE Padrón Municipal, 2023). Between 5 and 10: grade 3/4.
• Short-let density: 2.4 short-term rental listings per 100 dwellings (region figure) (INE (Instituto Nacional de Estadística), 'Estadística experimental: Medición del número de viviendas turísticas en España y su capacidad', May 2026). Between 2 and 4: grade 1/4.
• Access redundancy: 4 independent ways in: international airport, intercity rail, port, motorway (Alicante Turismo - ALICANTE City & Beach, 'How to Get to Alicante', 2026). At or above 4: grade 4/4.

Where Benidorm is stronger

• Average length of stay: 5 nights per visitor (HOSBEC (Hotel Monitor 2024 / INE data), 2024). At or above 3.5: grade 4/4.
• Wastewater safely treated: 100 % of domestic wastewater safely treated (Ayuntamiento de Benidorm & Generalitat Valenciana (EPSAR), 2024). At or above 95: grade 4/4.
• Rent growth: 5.4 % change in rents over the last 12 months (Idealista, September 2026). Between 3 and 6: grade 3/4.

Country context (World Economic Forum)

• Spain: #3 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026
• Spain: #3 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026

Alicante in full · Benidorm in full

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