Benidorm Mayor says, again, the resort is the safest destination in the world

Spain News : Costa Blanca
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Benidorm Mayor says, again, the resort is the safest destination in the world
By m.p. - Feb 24, 2008 - 7:59 PM
ALSO SEE : • Qualifica plan improves tourism on the Western Costa del Sol - Jul 15, 2008 - 7:46 AM
• Uncertain start to tourist season on the Costa Blanca - Jul 9, 2008 - 8:14 AM

The beach in Benidorm. Archive photo - EFE.
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He has slated an ITV report on crime in the area as trying to damage the image of the city
A report which the EFE news agency says is to be broadcast at prime time on ITV this Monday has led the Mayor of Benidorm to accuse the British TV channel of ‘hidden interests’ in trying to ‘damage the city’s image.’

The programme, EFE says, reports on crime levels in Benidorm and the robberies suffered by British tourists, amongst them the death of a Scottish man who died after he was mugged in Benidorm town centre last December. It speaks of organised criminal gangs from Eastern Europe who target properties outside the town centre and, in the view of the Mayor, Manuel Pérez Fenoll, aims to ‘divert British tourists to other destinations which are in competition’ with Spain. He alleges that the information in the ITV report is ‘based on lies and malicious rumours,’ and that no-one is afraid to be out in the streets at ‘any hour of the early morning.’

Pérez Fenoll says the reality is that Benidorm is the ‘safest tourist destination in the world,’ a statement he also made in December and which led British residents in the area to start a petition against his claim and to call for measures to stop violent robberies. The Mayor has said, however, that he will hold a meeting with police in the coming days to discuss the situation and to take any measures which may be needed in the face of the insecurity felt by the foreign community.

The news agency quotes information from central government offices in Alicante that violent burglaries in Benidorm have dropped by 50% in recent years, and crime as a whole by 30%.

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ALSO SEE :
• Qualifica plan improves tourism on the Western Costa del Sol - Jul 15, 2008 - 7:46 AM
• Uncertain start to tourist season on the Costa Blanca - Jul 9, 2008 - 8:14 AM
• Idea to create new foreign tourist police in Benidorm - Jul 4, 2008 - 7:36 AM
• 1.2 million Brits visit the Costa Blanca in first five months of the year - Jun 24, 2008 - 8:07 AM
• Foreign tourist spend up by six percent on the Costa Blanca - Jun 9, 2008 - 8:31 AM
• Shorter stays for national tourists on the Costa Blanca this year - May 28, 2008 - 8:50 AM
• New cinema ad in the U.K. promotes the delights of the Costa Blanca - May 23, 2008 - 7:49 AM
• Foreign tourist numbers up in Spain over first four months of the year - May 21, 2008 - 8:55 PM
• Mayor presses ahead with project for new ten floor hotel in Málaga - May 20, 2008 - 7:45 AM
• 85 percent hotel occupancy on the Costa del Sol over the May Bank Holiday - May 6, 2008 - 7:56 AM
• Supreme Court orders hotel to compensate guests who lost items from the safe in their room - Apr 28, 2008 - 4:54 PM

Comments

Pops
25 Feb 2008, 00:34

Would the mayor of Benidorm walk the streets at three in the morning without an armed guard? Of course he wouldn't, and if he says he would then I say he's a liar. Oh, and violent burglaries have dropped 50%? ...What about the 50% still being carried out? No, as long as one-eyed, blind, blinkered men such as Manuel Pérez Fenoll are running things, Spain will continue to suffer an ever-worse reputation in the eye’s of press and public alike. Only AFTER a bad report does he do anything. What he SHOULD do is resign, today.

Robert
25 Feb 2008, 16:58

My son made the mistake of going to Benidorm a few years ago with a group of friends. They were threatened at knifepoint on four separate occasions whilst returning to their hotel in the early hours. The last time that it happened one of the boys was jabbed in the back with a hypodermic needle resulting in three months of mental torture waiting for the results of bloodtests when he returned home. These crimes were committed by young Spanish men and not by Eastern Europeans. The police were of course not interested in the least and the boys themselves were treated like criminals by the authorities. Beniform has a lot of work to do and educating their police force would be a fine place to start.

Mr BJDay
26 Feb 2008, 00:24

We have just returned to the UK,It is true that Crime is defenitely on the rise in Spain ,We were robbed by the side of the Road outside Alicante and the Police did nothing, My advice to all English people going to Spain be very careful there is more crime now, We have been visiting Spain for 20 years and Crime is at its worst, The Poice only take your crime statement over the phone and will bluntly refuse to come to your aid because they are so stretch out it is absolutely terrible , We met 3 couples who like us had been robbed and nothing was done about it, As for keep blaming others you will find when you get robbed they are Spanish and not these so called Eastern Europeans, We cannot understand the Spanish Goverment allowing the crime to get out of controll which is surely is

bert
26 Feb 2008, 00:29

Spanish crime is defenitely on the increase people are being robbed in airports ,train stations, even in the cafes and bars ,watch yourselves if you are going to Sapin

Gareth
16 Mar 2008, 15:40

I have lived in benidorm for many years. The crime is out of hand the police do nothing except drink in bars. One betting shop Ha Ha there are about half a dozen all illegal, Drugs can be bought on any street corner in front of the police. But it suits the type of tourist which Benidorm attracts your typical tattoed drunken badly dressed icon of British society

bob
15 May 2008, 21:06

benidorm scumidorm prostitutes beggers and theives sat 10 5 2008 a failed pickpocket atempt sun 11 5 2008 i got draged to the ground from behind by a mugger while another practiced morice dancing on my head had to fight for my life they got fuck all it seams like a safe place for my kids

bob
15 May 2008, 21:07

Loz
28 May 2008, 23:22

I lived in Benidorm 5 years ago when I was 21. It only took a month to realise that the crime rate was really bad first hand. The family I was living with all went out for tea and returned about an hour later to have had our villa ransacked. The place was bolted up like fortknox even with bars on the doors and windows and still they managed to get in. Luckily my stuff was at another location so I never lost anything but everything else was gone even the dirty washing. A week later a bunch of rose sellers pickpocketed my mate for his wallet so he had to go back to Scotland. About a week later a lady on her 90th birthday had her handbag snatched from her while being escorted by two family members she fell and broke her nose as a result. I was in the pub (sober hadnt even had one drink) when I went outside there was blood on the road and the lady was lying there. Someone should there they go so I ran towards a crowd and several broke off so I persued one up a hill. I got close then they went down an dark alley so I gave thinking its not worth it if they have a knife. Almost everyone I met living across there had some account of being robbed or mugged.

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