Frank “The Stag Man”, who runs a travel agency that specialises in the parties, has often been an advocate for Benidorm in Spain, but now he believes a new destination is making waves
Frank has developed a successful travel business, and often works in Benidorm(Image: Jam Press/@frankthestagmanofficial)
A travel agent claims resorts in Ibiza are set to overtake Benidorm’s title as the “hen and stag do” capital for Brits.
Frank “The Stag Man” has praised the Spanish island in the Mediterranean Sea for its nightlife and value for money as a holiday destination. Frank, who runs a travel agency that specialises in the parties, said for years Benidorm on mainland Spain has been the favourite for his clients but that the tide is tipping.
The travel professional, from Tottenham, north London, stressed “the King is coming” — as Ibiza, he believes, is back on the map. The 55-year-old man said: “Times change, as does the world, and for Ibiza it’s become lost over the years… Now, I can make it the number one holiday destination for stag and hen parties once again. And even give Benidorm a run for its money.
“It’s my job to stop Benidorm, as well as Ibiza, from becoming ghost towns. I’ll give the islands another year and then I’ll make my move. Watch this space — the King is coming.”
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British holidaymakers represent the biggest market for the seaside town of Benidorm, with more than 832,000 of them flocking to the renowned Costa Blanca area in 2023 alone. Tourism exploded there following the decline of the fishing trade in the 1950s.
But tourists have cited crime, such as robberies and muggings, in reasons to deter them from repeat visits, looking for new options instead. One of these is Ibiza, which welcomed more than three million tourists from all countries in 2022, in part for its booming nightlife.
And Frank believes its popularity will continue — after a relative slump prior to the Covid-19 pandemic. The travel expert continued: “You can still get cheap prices there too (like Benidorm). The resorts have stopped looking at what people want, focusing only on making money. [I get that] money makes the world go round — and people will pay for quality.
“There’s an increase in robberies and muggings (in Benidorm). If it wasn’t suffering from this massive crime issue, then it’d be doing so much better.”
Frank intends to exploit the boom in Ibiza, but will continue operating his multiple bars, travel agents and restaurants in Benidorm at the same time. These are across the municipality, which is within the province of Alicante, and largely cater to the Brits who holiday there.
Ibiza is the third largest of the Balearic Islands in area, but the second-largest by population. It has historically been associated with the electronic dance music club scene, but tourism bosses there have in recent years made efforts to promote family-orientated holidays.