Peñíscola News

November 27, 2025 - 14:11

The recovery of the tourism market in the Valencia Region has come hand in hand with resident families in the Comunitat. After a year marked by irregular tourism performance in the provinces of Alicante and Castellón and a general drop in bookings in the province of Valencia, the third quarter has finally closed with positive tourism figures thanks to the domestic family market, which has grown by 5.1% during the year and has offset the decrease in the number of visitors from outside Spain.

This is the main conclusion of Tour&Kids – the Official Family Tourism Product Club – which, on the occasion of the 1st Family Tourism Congress of the Valencian Community held on November 26, presented the profile of the families who visited the Comunitat in 2025. This snapshot is based on information gathered by its hundred members during the current year.

At the same time, the analysis concludes that family tourism has become a structural component of tourism demand in the Comunitat and is therefore currently a strategic opportunity for destinations, companies and organizations that focus their core offer on culture, nature and gastronomy, with very little supply adapted to the needs of families. Statistics show that the Valencia Region is one of the top five preferred destinations for traveling families in the summer, and that during other traditional holiday periods it also increases year after year in the preferences of Spanish traveling families. It is worth noting that family trips are becoming more frequent, and weekend and long-weekend getaways are gaining importance.

Profile of the family tourists visiting the Comunitat

In general, families from within the Comunitat are the main profile of family tourism in the region in 2025 (accounting for more than 40% of the total), followed by families coming from neighboring autonomous communities. However, if the profile is analyzed by province, the results vary. In Castellón, families residing in the Comunitat and families arriving from other parts of Spain dominate. “For example, in recent months, Peñíscola has become a trend among Alicante families,” said Francisco Ribera, president of Tour & Kids.

In Valencia, the profile of visiting families is a combination of foreign visitors and regional residents. The latest data from the National Statistics Institute (INE), cross-referenced with Hosbec, Turisme Comunitat Valenciana and Tour&Kids, show that three-quarters of family tourism in the city of Valencia and surrounding area has been foreign. “However, the percentage of these tourists has dropped in 2025 (compared to 2024). The sector believes that rising inflation and lower purchasing power in Europe, along with memories of the DANA storm, are directly related to this decline,” adds Ribera.

In Alicante, both domestic and foreign families dominate. Altea, Calpe and l’Alfàs del Pi are the destinations with the highest family occupancy. Internationally, the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany are the priority markets, and this year Italy has also stood out.

Snapshot of family travel preferences

Family tourism represents 36% of total demand, but only 0.6% of the supply is focused on families. Nature, active tourism and adapted local cultural experiences dominate preferences according to the latest report by Mabrian Travel Intelligence. The same study indicates that families have higher average spending and stay longer at destinations.

As for the most in-demand type of accommodation among families, mid-to-high-end hotels are chosen by 40% of them. According to the latest family tourism study by the Spanish Federation of Large Families, interest in apartments is on the rise (25% of bookings were made in this type of accommodation), and campsites rank third (with 15.5% of bookings). Price continues to be the most important factor for families when choosing a destination, although special offers do not carry significant weight (they are decisive for only two in ten families).

The highest-rated factors when choosing a destination are: avoiding overcrowding, comfort, large and/or interconnected rooms, a high-quality and well-preserved natural environment, tranquility, and personalized service for families.

As for the preferred destinations of families visiting the Comunitat, according to Tour&Kids data, sun-and-beach tourism is still the majority (59%), although it is losing ground to mountain destinations (14%) and urban destinations (13.4%).

New trends

Data reported by the Valencian family tourism association confirm that the conventional family model is the majority in summer, along with single-parent families. However, outside the summer season, other profiles are gaining traction, such as “grandparents and grandchildren” or “aunts/uncles and nieces/nephews.” There are proposals and accommodations designed for families with members who have cognitive or physical disabilities, so that everyone can enjoy the experience.

This trend has forced changes in the offer, for example adapting excursions to avoid excessive mobility or providing support vehicles so that grandparents can enjoy activities that their grandchildren like.

Social media, a key decision factor

Although in summer the children’s opinion is very important when deciding where to travel (in 49% of tourist families, the children choose the destination), the rest of the year the decision is made by the adults in the household. And precisely among them, the influence of social media is growing as a key factor, as observed by Tour&Kids and confirmed by the Traveler Value Index 2025.

The influence and trust in social media in the tourism sector has risen considerably in recent years. 61% of travelers use social media as a source of travel inspiration. The main sources are social media accounts of family and friends (30%), followed by social-media travel creators and influencers (28%), brand social media accounts (25%), and non-travel social media influencers (17%).

Likewise, positive accommodation reviews also play a leading role when booking. 85% are more likely to reserve a hotel or vacation rental that has consistently demonstrated excellent guest experiences when other factors are equal.