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Thousands of patriotic Brits celebrate the Coronation in Benidorm
Big-screen tributes to the newly-crowned King Charles III were displayed across the Costa Blanca tourist capital
More than 20 million people tuned in to watch the Coronation of King Charles III on TV on Saturday May 6, and while an estimated 3 million braved the rain and lined the streets of London, patriotic British expats and holidaymakers marked the historic occasion in glorious Benidorm sunshine.
Thousands of Britons donned Union Jack shirts and hats and carried flags while bars and pubs aired live coverage of the lavish ceremony.
Businesses offered discount pints, prosecco, and afternoon tea, and travel industry data shows short breaks to Benidorm soared and the resort hosted twice as many stag parties as anywhere else in Europe. Some 15,000 tourists reportedly spent the weekend in the coastal town.
Benidorm Town Hall also got in on the celebrations and aired messages to the King and Queen Camilla on screens across the town, the largest being the 22-metre LED billboard tower in Plaza de la Hispanidad, unveiled last May.
In an "affectionate gesture to the Crown", the screens, with an image of the newly crowned King, read "Our sincere congratulations".A little less than a year ago, during Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee celebrations, similar messages of support were screened "in tribute to our British friends".
Benidorm Mayor, Toni Pérez, said on Saturday: "Once again we want to show the sincere affection we feel in Benidorm towards the British people by accompanying them during such an important event."
"Thousands of UK citizens followed the Coronation live from our municipality, having taken advantage of the extra festive day granted for the Coronation to travel to Benidorm".
He added: "For many decades, Benidorm has been one of the favourite destinations for British tourism, a sector that is key for us throughout the year."In fact, annually 40% of tourists who holiday in Benidorm are from the UK, which represents 80% of the international tourist market.
More than 100,000 Brits have settled in the Valencia Region, which includes the provinces of Alicante, Valencia and Castellon, and 70% reside in the south of the region, such as Altea, Denia and Javea.
Also of interest: Alicante becomes the 10th most populated city in Spain
Image 1: Benidorm Forever
Image 2: Ayuntamiento de Benidorm
Image 3: The Once Bar Facebook
staff.inc.ali
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