Chipmonk

There is truth in that however at the same time I do feel that some sectors of the Spanish tourist industry should try and accept that some changes are needed. Many of the tourist reliant bars and restaurants where I live are saying that something needs to be done as there is no trade. But not any of them have made an effort to adapt in the last year. Normally they serve overpriced microwave burgers and pizzas to Brits jazzing it up with some salad and a glass of cheap wine. I have had lots of young students work in these places and the stories they tell! Meanwhile other places where there is more local trade who do struggle normally and get few tourists have made an effort to cook good quality takeaways for lunch at 9 €. They put some pride and effort into their work but few tourists go to them. To be honest I kind of hope the overpriced tourist bars do go and that tourists are forced to explore the area so they get better value food and less greedy business men in expensive BMWs Who wants the old normal?

Rosemary

100% with you on going to local bars. No matter where my husband and I went on holiday we always wandered until we found a real locals eating place and I have continued with that tradition. Not just any old local though always the ones that were very busy as that is always a good sign of how good they are.

Not sure at this point in time how any of the tourist areas are going to survive in the future. There does not appear to be any guarantees about the vaccines true effectiveness so this causes people to wonder whether a vaccine passport is truly valuable. Doubters and believers will no doubt argue this subject for a long time. We all need something to believe in after the negatives of the past year.

Rosemary

missile

Some good news? >

A small scale vaccine passport trial about to start between London and Singapore to test the Vaccine app. Vaccine confirmation will be stored on your phone, not a remote server, for security.
The outcome of this trial may prove the feasibility of the covid passport scheme for UK travellers.
Singapore Airlines trial 'vaccine passport' app on flights to London (msn.com)

Spain has indicated their preferences for a passport system backed up with PCR tests for the non vaccinated

Barriej

Problem is not the Spanish tourist industry but the tourists that they are trying to get to use the facilities.
Benidorm is 12k from us and to be honest, it needs to change and I think it will do so, but not from the pandemic. And as it said in the film, if you build it they will come.
You can't blame the bars if thats all the punters want. Thats why there were over 900 bars in Benidorm fighting for every € before the pandemic.

I actually think Brexit will change these types of tourist destinations, not because of the amount of tourists. But the bar and restaurants themselves will have to adapt.
After all its not as easy to just rock up here and buy a bar, redecorate and then offer the same fair the other 20 or so in the same street do.

British pubs and other tourist bars will continue, there will however be fewer of them, so if anything they should be more successful and then hopefully they will serve better food.

A few years ago we were in Tapas Alley in Benidorm sitting in a little bar eating our tapa and some people walked past saying how they wouldn't eat that muck.
Anyone remember the TV show. Duty Free?

I and many other do drink and eat in Benidorm but I usually go to the same places that sell good local food, but I prefer the places more local as the aren't many tourists.
In fact today we were at a local bar/restaurant on the CV70 down from La Nucia. Menu of the day starter, 2 plates and a sweet, coffee and bread €9.00
It gets busy with locals and its the kind of place I would rather go and it would be great if tourists did the same and sampled the more 'local' scene.

But there will still be a beer for €1 and full english for €3.50 and if thats what people want then id sell it if it would make me enough money.

bob_bob

I think pubs in the UK will have changed dramatically post covid. People were moving away from pubs before covid and certainly won't be rushing back to 'old' pubs. These days more and more people who go out want to eat and have a drink plus more and more youngsters drink far less than older people if in fact they drink alcohol at all.

Here in Wales three good pubs near me are boarded up and for sale. These were traditional pubs, very little food served and I can't see them reopening in the future using that format...times have changed.

News reports today say Portugal and Cyprus are opening up to brits who've had both jabs and no quarantine upon arrival plus Spain is in talks about opening up green air corridors for brit tourists. A problem for Spain is that it will still attract the pee heads and the country needs €€€€€s so I fear the old tourist bars there will be back in business shortly

missile

I was surprised to read that UK tax revenue from alcohol has increased since lockdown.

Stingychips

All everyone has done is drink. I just seen two drunken idiots trying to cross the road at 9:00 am in the morning and nearly got knocked down in the process. When the dust settles from this lockdown and we look at the debt , depression , obesity , heart attacks and everything else this majorly harmful lockdown has caused. We’ll have to ask out self “was it worth it?”. Anyway it’s looking like Spain will open up may 1st to vaccinated or negative testing tourists however the British government said they won’t let people go on holiday just then. They’ll have to wait until mid May at the least.

Stingychips

I never go to the pubs but when they open I will be going. Everyone is sick of drinking in their houses here .