COVID-19 carries a cruel irony: the very people who could’ve helped Benidorm through this autumn have become a danger to the destination.

The Asociación Cultural de Mayores de Fuenlabrada​​​​ (Acamafu) today cancelled their affordable, package holidays for over-50s from Madrid.

The trips cost just 280e for 8 days and 7 nights – a good price that includes a coach trip to and from Benidorm.

The concept was called a ‘hopeful formula’ for Benidorm as the hundreds of hotels have closed (see list here) and the government-sponsored ‘Imserso’ holiday programme for pensioners cancelled. ​

But again, after only one successful trip to Benidorm, the second Acamafu holday scheduled for today has been cancelled due to rising COVID-19 cases in Madrid.​ ​​​​​​​​​​The 50 over-50s will enjoy no vacations while Acamafu sees its future trips hanging in the balance.​ Last Monday’s lockdown restrictions on Madrid, a major over-50 market for Benidorm, will be decisive in these decisions.

“There are no guarantees that those travelling are not infected, which makes it prudent to suspend the trip,” Marcelo Cornellá told Spanish news agency EFE today.

Benidorm’s mayor, Toni Pérez, previously told Acamafu their package holidays were a ‘hopeful formula’ for Benidorm.

Pérez said then, when greeting travellers from Acamafu’s first trip last week, that Benidorm’s tourist sector was in its ‘worst crisis in history’.

For now, another formula will have to work until Benidorm can safely welcome customers of all ages once more.