This article examines the role of foreign residents, mainly European, in the economic, urban, and social transformations of Benidorm during the 1950s and 1960s. In the context of Francoism in the 1950s and 1960s, the town rapidly evolved from a small fishing community into an international tourist destination, driven by local policies. The study focuses on foreigners not only as tourists, but also as local economic actors involved in commercial and entrepreneurial activities, as well as in the development of European residential tourism. The arrival of these residents, mostly from Northern Europe, is embedded in migratory dynamics characterized by the mobilization of specific social and economic resources, which contributed to reshaping the urban economy, the tourism model, social practices, and local balances, in interaction with public and private actors.
Making Spain a major tourist destination has been a political goal since the beginning of the 20th century. Today, Spain is one of the top three tourist destinations in the world with a phenomenon of economic dependence in some regions. This article analyses the economic impact of tourism in Spain and the actions taken by successive governments to address the challenges of competitiveness and of societal and environmental issues that arise in each era. Focusing on three specific destinations, it details three types of regions: archipelagos, historic centres and small emerging towns.
