Benissa closes Tourist Sustainability Plan after four years and €2.45m invested
Tourism councillor Virginia Pérez reviewed on Dénia FM the results of the European programme that has transformed the municipality's infrastructure and services, and previewed that the next challenge will be to extend the tourist season into autumn and winter.
Benissa Town Council has completed the Tourist Sustainability Plan at Destination (PSTD), a programme developed over four years that has channelled €2.45 million in European funds into a total of 23 initiatives. Councillor Virginia Pérez detailed the balance in an interview given to Dénia FM, broadcast on Monday 28 September, a day after coinciding with the celebration of World Tourism Day.
Among the most notable interventions, Pérez mentioned the launch of a digital twin that allows analysis of visitor numbers, their spending and their needs. She also cited the installation of remote water meters on the network, designed to identify leaks immediately, as well as the construction of the new town hall building and the improvement of pavements and accessibility on Avenida de la Constitución. To this is added the development of an Accessibility Plan that will serve as a guide for future urban initiatives, and the renovation of the coastal tourism office, which now has an immersive space dedicated to heritage and local festivals.
According to the councillor, the municipality also has a fire detection system connected to Police and Fire Brigade which, as she explained, has already made it possible to identify several fire outbreaks.
Living well rather than selling well
Pérez described the set of improvements as "a before and after" for Benissa and emphasised that the purpose of the plan was not limited to attracting tourism: "A municipality cannot be a tourist destination if it is not a municipality where people can live well," she said. In the same vein, she stressed that the priority has been "to improve Benissa for visitors, but above all mainly for the people who live here all year round".
The councillor noted that the municipality has resources yet to be tapped: "We have huge potential" and "Benissa has so much more," she said, referring to the attractions that, in her view, would allow the town to draw visitors outside the peak season. Precisely, the council's next objective is to reduce the seasonality of tourist activity, extending it towards the autumn and winter months.
On the pressure of tourist accommodation against the residential stock, Pérez considered that Benissa is not yet experiencing a problematic situation, although she warned of the advisability of acting with foresight: "I believe we do not yet have this problem, but we do need to work to ensure we do not have it in the future". The councillor also recalled that, as the municipality does not have a large hotel offer, this type of accommodation takes on special relevance during the celebration of major events, and defended tackling the issue rigorously: "It is a matter that must be treated with data".