Brits are flooding back to Benidorm after the longed for easing of travel restrictions.
Spain’s Costa Blanca resort had been turned into a “ghost town” by the UK’s curbs because of Covid, said one expat.
Business owners and Brits who work in Benidorm have told of their relief.
Some British expats revealed earlier this year they had been relying on food banks after losing jobs because of the lack of UK tourists.
Former nurse Wayne Wright, who works as a drag Queen Levi in Benidorm’s Palladium, said: “It’s got really, really busy now.
“It has been terrible, it’s been like a ghost town and we have not worked for 18 months.
“It’s absolutely wonderful to see the British holidaymakers back.
“Without the British tourists, Benidorm is nothing. Benidorm thrives on the working class British.”
Wayne said bars and hotels have been refurbished and are crying out for staff.
The owner of Bar Rumbo, Antonio Garcia, 59, which has been operating since the 70s, said: “There are quite a few British back now and they love Benidorm.
“It’s the weather, the tolerant and nice Spanish people, the food is very good too and prices are brilliant.
"I think September is going to be really good.”
Holidaymakers are revelling in the sunshine and temperatures which are expected to peak at 25C this week.
Alex Fratini, a member of Benidorm bar and restaurant association added: “Many businesses have reopened after many months closed because the Brits have started to return.”
Association president Javier del Castillo told local paper Diario Informacion: “Businesses are reopening and opening for longer. We hope this continues and more Brits come.”
Toni Mayor, from the local hoteliers association, added: “The situation has improved dramatically. There’s a British atmosphere in Benidorm which reminds me of before the pandemic.
“Around 20 per cent of holidaymakers are British and with the other 20 per cent who’ll hopefully return, we’ll be back to the way things were. All bars and cafes in the Little England area are packed.”
The region had 750,000 foreign tourists in August, 75 per cent more than in August 2020, of those 105,000 were British.