The increase in tourism in Valencia can be seen in streets, squares and bars. During the day, but also at night. And the data collected this summer shows a growing incidence of foreign tourism in nightlife venues and a relevant difference between the Valencian Community and the rest of the territories. The national data offer a percentage of 13.09% of foreign audiences in discos and nightclubs (11.72% European, 1.37% non-EU), while in the Valencian Community the percentage rises to 21.64% (13, 04% European, 8.6% non-EU).
For example, in a neighborhood with intense nightlife like Russafa, 16.67% of clients this September are tourists from European Union countries, according to the Association for Responsible Hospitality of Russafa (Al Balansí). This start of the season they attract customers in the stores and through social networks with the slogan “Russafa in September”.
“The figures for Ruzafa are even fair because it is not a neighborhood that is particularly popular with tourists, but in the case of the beach areas and the historic center the percentage of foreign tourists can even be 70%,” says Óscar Iglesias, leisure entrepreneur with various businesses open in the city.
Among them, the Atenea, a recently opened drinks terrace in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento and where this summer they have had a great time. “We Valencian businessmen have to start realizing that the city we knew has changed, that València in summer has changed, it is already starting to fill up, Colón Street, City Hall, pedestrians, are full,” he explains.
Faced with realities like the one outlined by Iglesias, the Study on the Situation and Evolution of the Leisure Sector in 2023 has included in its survey this year a question about the impact of foreign audiences in Valencian venues. For this reason, the National Federation of Leisure and Entertainment Entrepreneurs - Spain at Night warns that there is no comparative data with other years, but there is a conviction that the growth is striking enough.
At the Micky House Valencia nightclub they directly go after that foreign audience that already moves like a fish in water in Valencia. They shoot both tourists and Erasmus and they do it with staff who speak English. “English is a basic requirement, we do not want to go to the Spanish market because there is already a lot of offer, so we are going directly to look for the foreign client,” explains its manager.
At Rumbo 144, in the same area but with 25 years of experience behind them, they know that English is necessary to work in their establishment. “We have been experiencing this situation for a long time because we mainly work with the Erasmus public, and that is why our communication has to be in at least two languages. This is getting worse,” explains Jesús Alfonso, manager of the legendary Blasco Ibáñez nightclub. And although in summer they experience a drop due to university holidays, he confirms that this summer there has been an increase in clients thanks to the foreign public.
Both Iglesias and Alfonso explain that at reception it is essential to have an advanced language, in the bar and services the requirement is diluted. But it continues to be increasingly in demand, both insist. According to España de Noche, 55.55% of the establishments in the Valencian Community have hired staff who speak more than one language to serve the tourist public. And even 22.22% of Valencian stores have signage in more than one language.
The rest of the public in the Valencian establishments is mainly local, around 45%, and according to the data provided, 13.04% reside in the province and 10.86% in the Community itself. The remaining 8.6% comes from other autonomous communities, outlines the Leisure and Tourism Observatory of Spain at Night.
On the other hand, national data show that the local public is also at 45%, but there is a gap with respect to the provincial public, since in the rest of Spain the percentage is higher: it goes from 13.0% of the Community to 24.82% of the rest. Around 11% of the clients come from the same autonomous community and 5.51% from other communities.
