Spain Looks to a New Kind of Tourism After COVID-19

Antonio Peréz, the present day mayor of Benidorm, said last year the town attracted 16 million tourists but as it tries to recover what is left of this season, the emphasis must be on safety. “We are working on a series of protocols in hotels, for the beaches and in restaurants so that people can feel safe when they come here,” he told VOA in a telephone interview. Peréz said cleaning hotels, making staff and customers wear masks, enforcing social distancing in restaurants, bars and even nightclubs will be essential. Avoiding crowding on the beaches will also be imperative. Known as the Manhattan of the Costa Blanca, Benidorm is famous for its skyscraper-like hotels. The close proximity of guests in these buildings is likely to prove a problem until an effective vaccine is found for COVID-19