Benidorm to award Benidorm Half, McDonald’s Spain, ALE-HOP and Autocares Grupo Benidorm on World Tourism Day

Benidorm Town Council will present ‘Ciudad de Benidorm 2026’ Tourism Awards to the Benidorm Half sporting event, McDonald’s Spain and its ‘Mitiquísimo’ promotional campaign, and the companies ALE-HOP and Autocares Grupo Benidorm, in recognition of their role and contribution to tourism in the International, National, Regional and Local categories of these awards. The decision was approved by the Spokespersons’ Board following a proposal by Mayor Toni Pérez, in a motion that also includes a Special Mention for local businesswoman Antonia Aguilar Masanet, owner of Hotel Palmeral and other local tourism-related projects.

The awards will be presented at an institutional ceremony on Friday, September 25, as part of the programme of activities organised by the Town Council to mark World Tourism Day, celebrated worldwide on September 27. Before the ceremony, the proposal approved by the Spokespersons’ Board will be submitted for approval by the Municipal Corporation at the ordinary plenary session to be held next Monday, August 31, as announced by the Mayor.

Toni Pérez publicly congratulated all the award recipients on behalf of the city, describing them as “people and companies thoroughly deserving of this recognition, who have stood out in their respective fields for their work and commitment to the development of Benidorm as a destination.”

Originating from the sporting event that held its first official edition in 1984, the Benidorm Half underwent a radical change in concept in 2018 under the direction of TourSport, with a sunset start designed to take advantage of the city’s urban lighting and showcase its iconic skyline. Since then, it has established itself as the largest race in terms of registered participants in the province of Alicante and one of the most attractive in Spain, driven above all by international runners. Featuring half-marathon and 10K distances, the event, held every November, attracted more than 9,000 athletes in its most recent edition. More than half were international runners, with a particularly strong delegation from the United Kingdom, numbering more than 4,000 participants, followed by runners from Ireland, Norway, Belgium and the Netherlands.

The motion to be approved at next Monday’s plenary session to award the ‘Ciudad de Benidorm’ prize in the International category to the event highlights that the Benidorm Half “has successfully expanded its reach, attracting runners and accompanying visitors from numerous countries and turning sport into a genuine tourism experience, strengthening Benidorm’s image as an active, healthy and year-round destination.” It also states that “its capacity for growth, international profile and high organisational standards make the Benidorm Half an excellent example of the connection between sport and tourism, helping to diversify and enrich the destination’s tourism offering and promote Benidorm’s image internationally.”

In the National category, the ‘Ciudad de Benidorm’ award recognises McDonald’s Spain for ‘Mitiquísimo’, the summer campaign launched last July and created by creative agency &Rosàs. The campaign is a nostalgic tribute to Spanish summer traditions and icons, seeking to create an emotional connection between holiday traditions and some of the brand’s most iconic products. The campaign, which featured television personality Belén Esteban and content creators Aitana Soriano and Elena Gortari, among others, explicitly pays tribute to Benidorm as one of Spain’s great and undisputed symbols of summer culture. The city is presented as one of the most deeply rooted icons of the Spanish summer, further promoting its name and identity.

“The presence of Benidorm and the Benidorm brand in the campaign’s imagery and packaging recognises the unique and universal character of a city that, generation after generation, has formed part of the summer memories of millions of people,” the motion states. It adds: “The ‘Mitiquísimo’ campaign makes Benidorm part of a nationwide advertising narrative, highlighting the strength of the Benidorm brand and its extraordinary presence in Spanish popular culture.”

In the Regional category, the award will go to ALE-HOP, one of Spain’s most successful retail companies. Founded in 2001 in Gata de Gorgos, the company is best known for the giant plastic cow that stands at the entrance to all its stores. Although its first shop opened on Calle de la Pau in Valencia, its real commercial success and the validation of its large-scale business model came with the opening of its store in Benidorm, the fifth outlet launched by its founder, Vicente Grimalt. Its strategic location in an area with a high concentration of tourists demonstrated that its original, affordable impulse-buy products were perfectly suited to holidaymakers, giving rise to what became known as the ‘Benidorm Effect’.

“In 2025, ALE-HOP celebrated 25 years of established growth as an industry giant and has succeeded in creating its own innovative and distinctive retail model, projecting an image of dynamism and creativity through its more than 360 stores in Spain and other European countries, with Benidorm having played a decisive role in its growth,” the motion states.

Two local tourism leaders
Finally, ‘Ciudad de Benidorm’ award in the Local category will go this year to Autocares Grupo Benidorm, one of the leading companies specialising in passenger transport services on the Costa Blanca. Its recent history has been shaped by a remarkable story of family perseverance and strategic succession.

Although the company dates back to 1999, the real turning point came in 2005, when the current owners acquired the brand. Drawing on their experience in tourism and transport dating back to the 1980s, the new management team succeeded in consolidating and growing the company to its current position. Since 2005, Autocares Grupo Benidorm has continued to evolve and diversify its operations, building on its strong ties to the destination and becoming, alongside brands such as Beniconnect, a benchmark in tourist transfers and visitor mobility. “Its ability to innovate, expand its services and adapt to the needs of an international tourist destination has helped make the arrival and mobility of millions of visitors in and around Benidorm easier, more comfortable and safer,” the proposal states.

The text also highlights that “the track record of the owning family and its commitment to this city represent, moreover, the finest example of a local business that has grown alongside the city, linking its own development to Benidorm’s extraordinary tourism growth.”

To complete the four awards presented on the occasion of World Tourism Day, Benidorm Town Council will also grant this year’s ‘Ciudad de Benidorm’ Special Mention to Benidorm-born tourism entrepreneur Antonia Aguilar Masanet, owner of Palmeral Hotel, which was opened by her parents in 1956. She was also the first manager of Restaurante Ulía and founded the travel agency, La Cala. She studied at the Higher School of Hospitality and Tourism in Madrid. She has become a prominent businesswoman and pioneer in Benidorm’s tourism sector and is closely linked to the development of La Cala, traditionally the quieter part of the city.

“Through her professional activity and commitment, Antonia Aguilar Masanet has actively contributed to consolidating Benidorm as the tourism capital of the Costa Blanca. Her work has always been closely linked to accommodation and the provision of comprehensive services to the thousands of tourists who have chosen Benidorm,” states the motion to be voted on at the plenary session. It also highlights that her career “reflects the evolution of the destination and her professional commitment, encompassing restaurant management, hotel accommodation and travel intermediation, while consistently demonstrating her commitment to Benidorm and continuing a family legacy that she has preserved and passed on to the next generation, who are now at the helm of the business.”