Costa Blanca summer 2026 ends with tourism records, beach awards and visitor boom
As September draws to a close, the Costa Blanca can look back on a summer that delivered awards, records and […]
As the summer of 2026 draws to a close, the Costa Blanca region has enjoyed a season filled with accolades and milestones. From affordable package holidays to record-breaking airport traffic, the summer delivered strong tourism figures across the region. British consumer advocate, Which?, ranked the Costa Blanca as the top destination for peak-summer package holidays in its 2026 study, with a seven-night August package averaging £864 per person.
This made the Costa Blanca the only destination in the study to fall under the £900 threshold. The region's beaches also received numerous accolades, with Orihuela and Torrevieja retaining their Blue Flags, and several beaches earning Qualitur certifications. These awards added to the allure of the coastal destinations during the peak tourism months.
The summer saw a surge in visitors to Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernandez Airport, which recorded its busiest August ever, handling a record 2,337,378 passengers. This represented an 11.4 per cent increase compared to August 2025, with a total of 14,739,523 passengers passing through during the summer season, marking a 9.9 per cent rise.
Salinas de Santa Pola topped the list as the Valencian Community's third most visited natural park during the summer, welcoming 5,391 registered visitors. The protected area's visitor numbers surged by 19.68 per cent year-on-year, with natural parks across the region receiving a total of 94,117 summer visitors. From budget-friendly holidays and award-winning beaches to record-breaking airport traffic and thriving natural attractions, the Costa Blanca concluded a successful summer as September arrived.
Written by urgent.news from Euro Weekly News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
