A Brit expat in Benidorm has issued an alert for UK holidaymakers about beach regulations that could result in fines if ignored. 24-year old Harry Poulton shared his words of wisdom regarding the use of sun loungers and parasols at the beach.
These are pretty useful for those venturing to the seaside – but careless tourists could end up with a fine. And at this time of year, Harry revealed that inspectors are actively seeking out rule-breakers.
The young travel influencer, who has a following of 32,000 on TikTok as @harrytokky, recently captured attention with a video that earned more than 22,000 views and numerous likes.
In it, he warned fellow beach-goers of a potential £129 fine, according to Luxury Travel Daily.
Brighton-born Harry said: “This information is very important for anyone coming out to Benidorm. If you want to use the beach, do these things and you won’t end up with a fine.”
He then showed a sign indicating the charge of £5 each for using the beach’s sun loungers and umbrellas.
Harry cautioned: “If you get caught not paying for the little sun loungers and the umbrellas, they could technically fine you up to [£129] for not paying.”
Harry said ticket inspectors are “on it” and could well issue fines as the popular Spanish resort gets busier. “Make sure you don’t get caught red-handed on a sun lounger and get slapped with a […] fine, because that would not be nice,” he cautions.
“Don’t want to ruin your holiday over not paying.” But that’s not the only thing tourists need to be wary of when hitting the beaches in Benidorm.
Last year, the Mirror reported that beach-goers could face fines of up to £1,020. These penalties can be issued for setting foot on the sandy seafront between midnight and 7am, according to the report.
The rule was also said to apply to anyone swimming or sleeping on its sands. Those caught could face fines ranging from £650 to £1,020, while camping restrictions were also in place during these hours.
Benidorm is a favourite destination for British tourists. A report by Benidorm City Council published earlier this year gave some insight into just how busy it can get.
According to a report by the Film Office, “the monthly average of people visiting Benidorm is more than 252,000 people or that in August the figure shoots up to more than 2.1 million visitors, double the annual average.
Likewise, we know that on the busiest day of the summer, which in 2023 was August 12, the city can reach a peak of just over 365,000 people, including residents and the floating population.”
The sun-drenched Alicante, with a population of around 70,000, has been a popular tourist destination since the 1950s.
Initially attracting Spaniards from Madrid, it now draws in Brits, Italians, Portuguese, Belgians, Dutch and others, with the UK reportedly being the largest single source of tourists.
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