The Valencian hotel industry has begun 2026 with a drop in occupancy, in line with the usual January slowdown, traditionally the weakest month for tourism. Average occupancy across the region stood 3.3 points below January 2025, influenced by adverse weather, the emotional and connectivity impact of the Adamuz rail accident, and calendar changes affecting major events.

Despite the overall decline, several destinations maintained solid winter figures. In Benidorm, average January occupancy reached 64.6 per cent, four points down year on year, largely due to BenidormFest moving from late January last year to mid-February this year. The Costa Blanca as a whole recorded an average occupancy of 63.7 per cent, with strong international demand led by the United Kingdom and growing markets in Belgium, the Netherlands and Poland.

Elsewhere, the province of Valencia closed January with an average occupancy of 58 per cent, down four points, although Valencia city performed better, improving on last year to almost 60 per cent and helping to balance provincial figures. Castellón saw a weaker month overall but showed signs of recovery in the second half of January.

Looking ahead to the first half of February, forecasts suggest the downward correction will continue at a moderate pace. However, the Valentine’s weekend is expected to boost occupancy levels across the Comunitat Valenciana.