Valencia received a record 95,106 British visitors in 2016, 19.9% more than in 2015 and, with new direct flights from London Luton, Birmingham, Glasgow and Edinburgh being launched in the next few months, that figure is expected to grow further this year.
Overall, 976,133 million foreign tourists visited Valencia last year, with Italians being the largest group, followed by the British. There were 450,000 new seats on international air routes in total, and capacity for the winter 2016/17 season alone increased by 20%.
Ryanair recently announced new flights from Edinburgh to Valencia for winter 2017/18, in addition to a new route from Glasgow starting on 27 March, and the existing flights from London Stansted, East Midlands and Manchester. Monarch is also launching its first direct flights to Valencia from Birmingham, operating twice weekly from 22 June. Finally, easyJet has just started flying three times a week to Valencia from Luton, adding to its existing route from London Gatwick.
Cruise tourism is also on the up, with 403,564 passengers arriving in 2016, a 7.7% increase on the previous year. A total of 210 cruise ships are expected to dock in Valencia this year, 10% more than in 2016, bringing in approximately 450,000 passengers.
Valencia remains a popular destination for British travelers, offering a privileged location by the Mediterranean sea with a mild, sunny climate, and a great combination of culture, historic buildings, amazing architecture, diverse shopping opportunities, a rich gastronomy and vibrant nightlife.
New hotels like the luxury Marques House (opening in September 2017) and attractions like the Silk Museum or the Bombas Gens gastro-cultural centre (opening in April) add to its appeal. The city’s most famous festival, the Fallas, has been given Intangible Cultural Heritage status by UNESCO, a recognition of the significance of this centuries’ long tradition.
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