For years, Benidorm has been a mecca for British stags and hens

Hundreds of teams flock to the sun-scorched Costa Blanca resort annually for a hedonistic, booze-fuelled weekend earlier than their pal ties-the-knot.

But with power costs hovering, and budgets being tightened throughout the continent, is Benidorm’s title as Spain’s stag and hen capital under-threat?

In keeping with one of many trade’s main voices, Benidorm has by no means been in a stronger place – with the resort anticipated to turn out to be much more common within the coming years.

Matt Mavir is the founder and Managing Director of Final Night time of Freedom. Fashioned 4 many years in the past, it’s Britain’s main stag and hen get together organiser and has despatched round 500,000 Brits on journeys throughout Europe for the reason that firm was fashioned from his pupil home in Newcastle.

“Benidorm has at all times been busy, however this 12 months enterprise there has completely exploded,” revealed the businessman.

“Journeys booked via Final Night time of Freedom are up roughly 50% in comparison with 2019, which was the ultimate 12 months earlier than covid restrictions brought about havoc throughout the sector.

“However as soon as the foundations have been eased, teams returned immediately. Folks have been determined to snigger, loosen up and revel in life once more so you possibly can simply see why Benidorm was immediately interesting.

In keeping with Matt, Benidorm has turn out to be such a success that this 12 months, it’s the most visited stag and hen vacation spot in continental Europe proving twice as common because the likes of Prague and Amsterdam.

Solely Liverpool, Edinburgh and Newcastle recurrently appeal to extra teams, whereas it’s notably common with males.

This weekend, trade information exhibits stags are anticipated to outnumber hens by a whopping seven to 1.

“The resort’s appeals are apparent,” added Matt.

“Drink is grime low-cost, with the resort filled with pubs providing pound-a-pint offers plus you will have summer-long sunshine which nearly ensures teams nice climate.

“Not like locations reminiscent of Amsterdam or Japanese Europe, you even have unbelievable seashores in Benidorm and the nightlife is like nowhere else. It feels just like the resort has been set-up for stags and hens, it encourages individuals to go a bit wild and let off steam, so the attraction is big.”

For many years, Benidorm has carved out a distinct segment for providing low-cost enjoyable within the solar. But again in Britain, Matt stated the market is altering barely.

“What we’re more and more seeing, notably with hens, is that they’re eager to spend a bit more cash and to have extra shared experiences. Just a few plastic props and a few L plates doesn’t fairly reduce it anymore.

“Teams are spending extra on their lodging and are joyful to spend extra on actions and even of their drinks – particularly with cocktails – which in some methods is the other of what Benidorm is about.”

Given Benidorm’s reserving increase, the North East agency despatched employees to the resort final week to evaluate if and the way the resort was altering, and to forecast any rising developments. Employees did discover some shifts in what was being supplied.

“There have been some fairly spectacular upgrades happening in plenty of the accommodations. The darkish wood interiors have been going, with brighter and lighter trendy fittings as an alternative they usually have been actually fairly eye-catching.

“For years, lodging on a stag weekend within the solar has been about having someplace to put your head for a number of hours after a heavy evening out. Now, teams clearly need a room that enhances their expertise – we have been seeing massive screens being put in and state-of-the-art Bose soundsystems.

“Inns are additionally dramatically enhancing their communal areas. Our employees reported extra concentrate on pool events in the course of the day, with the swimming pools getting big upgrades with some resembling nightclubs. That may have been unheard if a number of years again.

“So clearly massive modifications are happening.”

Publish-pandemic, Matt stated 2022 has been the busiest 12 months ever for the stag and hen trade with teams determined to get away after years of restrictions.

Nonetheless, there are points. The battle in Ukraine resulted in a dramatic dip in bookings to Japanese Europe earlier this 12 months.

Round 60 per cent of Budapest bookings with Final Night time of Freedom have been cancelled earlier this 12 months, which Matt states may partially clarify the surge of curiosity in Benidorm.

“A number of teams who cancelled their journeys to Japanese Europe both rebooked in Britain, or they checked out Southern and Central Europe – so Benidorm was doubtless a giant benefactor from that,” he added.

Nonetheless, there’s presumably a much bigger hurdle on the horizon within the type of the cost-of-living disaster.

Households throughout Europe are tightening their purse strings amid rising power prices. In Britain, payments have now been capped this winter however are nonetheless anticipated to set households again a number of thousand kilos.

In keeping with Matt, the jury continues to be out on how a lot – if in any respect – the disaster will impression the trade. But whereas bookings to Europe may doubtlessly dip, he believes Benidorm is doubtlessly finest positioned out of all of the locations to journey any storm.

“We nonetheless don’t know what impression it will have. Clearly, individuals are making an attempt to spend much less, however so long as there are weddings, there can be stags and hens – and other people don’t have a tendency to scrimp on what’s a special day along with your closest mates,” he stated.

“However we anticipate Benidorm to carry out very strongly once more subsequent 12 months, if not stronger than 2022. In 2023, we’ve already taken nearly half as many bookings as we did in the entire of 2019 and it’s barely September.

“That’s huge, and clearly the phrase is out about simply how a lot enjoyable Benidorm is. Plus in case you are a extra budget-friendly various, even with flights, you’ll most likely spend much less cash in Benidorm than you’d in Britain and that’s one thing that may have big attraction when teams come to resolve a location.”’

For extra info on Final Night time of Freedom’s stag information, click on right here. For hens, click on right here.