Reaching English-speaking residents on the Costa Blanca
Alicante province carries one of the highest registered British populations of any province in Spain. Older and more permanently settled than the Costa del Sol, and spread across urbanisations and resort towns rather than city centres.
More settled, and more British, than the Costa del Sol
Where the Costa del Sol is international and partly seasonal, the Costa Blanca skews harder toward permanent British and Northern European residence. People here tend to have sold up at home and moved, rather than keeping a foot in both countries.
That changes the commercial picture. A permanent resident makes more decisions locally, holds more of their financial life in Spain, and uses local services year round rather than in bursts. Lifetime value is higher and seasonality is milder.
It also skews older. The south of the province in particular carries a large retired population, which shapes which sectors work and how the creative has to be written.
Among the highest registered British populations in Spain
More year-round residence, less second-home seasonality
Population distributed by development, not by town
The coast splits in two
North and south of Alicante behave like different markets, and treating them as one province wastes budget.
Benidorm
One of the largest permanent British communities in Spain, year round, concentrated in Rincón de Loix and the old town. Far more resident than its reputation suggests.
Albir and Altea
Quieter and more affluent, with established Norwegian and Dutch populations alongside the British.
Torrevieja and Orihuela Costa
Dense, heavily British and Northern European, largely retired, spread across enormous urbanisation developments.
Jávea and Moraira
Affluent, more mixed European, higher property values and a different tone entirely.
Denia and Calpe
Established, partly seasonal, with significant German and Dutch presence alongside the British.
Alicante
Younger, more Spanish, more working-age, and the source of professional services the whole province uses.
The Benidorm opportunity
Benidorm carries one of the largest permanent British communities anywhere in Spain. Tens of thousands of people who live there year round, shop there, use local services and are not going home in September.
Most advertising in the town is aimed at visitors, because the tourist numbers are enormous and easier to chase. That leaves the resident population, which spends locally every month of the year, comparatively untouched.
Reaching them takes a targeting build that separates residence from a fortnight's stay, and that is a solvable job rather than a barrier. Get it right and you have a year-round audience in a town most competitors only advertise to for six months.
Why the urbanisation matters more than the postcode
Costa Blanca's expat population lives in developments, and those developments vary enormously. One urbanisation can be almost entirely British and retired while the next along is mostly Spanish families.
A radius drawn around a town centre averages all of that together. Targeting built around where the population actually sits gets considerably closer, which is why campaigns here are structured around clusters of developments rather than municipal boundaries.
It is also why local knowledge is worth something here. Knowing that Los Balcones and La Zenia are different audiences is not something you get from a map.
How it runs
- North and south split from the startDifferent ages, different budgets, different nationalities. One provincial campaign serves neither well.
- Built around urbanisationsThe population clusters by development, and the targeting should follow it rather than the town boundaries.
- Older audience, adjusted creativeLarger type, clearer offers, phone as a contact option and not just a form. Small changes with real effect here.
- Qualifying before contact detailsYour criteria before the phone number, so poor fits drop out before they cost you anything.
- Checked and delivered fastNumbers and emails checked as the lead comes in, repeat enquiries flagged and never charged twice, delivered in seconds.
Questions Costa Blanca businesses ask
Is the Costa Blanca bigger than the Costa del Sol for British residents?
By registered population, Alicante province is consistently among the highest in Spain and frequently ahead of Málaga. The Costa del Sol has more international money and more business activity, but for reaching British residents specifically the Costa Blanca is at least as strong.
Should I target the north or the south?
They are different markets. The south is denser, older and more heavily British. The north is more affluent and more mixed European. Which suits you depends on your price point more than your sector.
How do you target urbanisations rather than towns?
By building audiences around clusters of developments rather than municipal boundaries. It matters more here than almost anywhere, because the population distribution follows the developments and not the towns.
Is it less seasonal than the Costa del Sol?
Generally yes. More of this population lives here permanently, which smooths demand across the year and makes lifetime value higher, though the winter months still bring additional part-year residents.
Do you cover Murcia and the Costa Cálida too?
Yes. It carries a similar British population and is often run as an extension of a southern Costa Blanca campaign rather than as a separate market.
See what the Costa Blanca looks like for your business
A few questions about what you do and which part of the coast you cover, then a call to work through the audience and what leads are likely to cost.
hello@xpatic.com