The Valencian Community, and therefore the province of Alicante, has less incidence of COVID per hundred thousand inhabitants than the Canaries.
The hotels on the Costa Blanca have not detected a single positive case during the pandemic, the hotels have done their homework and are shielded against the bug. The almost technical” closure " of Benidorm this winter due to the restrictions of the countries issuing tourists (demand exists as evidenced by the availability of reserves for Christmas and next year) will lead to 25,000 tourism workers in the province-between direct and indirect jobs - to unemployment, albeit temporary, to their homes and with 70% of the salary if there are no last-minute surprises on the payroll. The airport holds up as it can.
What more arguments does the Government need not to consider Alicante as Tenerife and convince its partners of the union? That the Costa Blanca is a safe destination, more in winter because of the natural decline of tourists? The regional secretary of Tourism, Francesc Colomer, has made this clear and from the first moment he has taken the side of the sector where surely he would have a place if he left politics, as noted in his day Toni Mayor, President of Hosbec.
Regulated tourism is the dam against possible infections.
For nothing, it is still forgotten, despite accounting for 24% of the GDP of the province, with a contribution of 18,000 million euros a year. Little by little, and as the October 9th bridge approaches, the entrepreneurs are deciding closures, adjusting staffing because not even the hotels that remain open are going to work with 100% of their employees, and looking to Moscow, London, China, New York ... waiting for the vaccine to finally arrive that will put a little order to this health bewilderment.
But, in the meantime, we must move forward and it is time for palliative measures and not so much quarantine. Test those that are necessary, but let's not kill the chicken of the golden eggs.
The demonstration in Benidorm, until last March the happiest city in Spain, should lead to a turn, but already. Because if tourism and services sink no one can even imagine the province that will remain. Tomorrow The Venus Hotel in Benidorm reopens.