Brits snub 'uncool' Costa hols

SPANISH holidays are being shunned by young Brits who now see them as uncool. Traditional resorts such as Benidorm and Torremolinos have plummeted in popularity. Tourism chiefs reckon the once-packed hotspots have been hit by a serious reputation crisis. And they are blaming tacky telly shows like The Only Way Is Essex, whose cast holiday in Marbella, and Benidorm, which starred comic Johnny Vegas, 40. Experts say generations of holidaymakers whose parents loved Spain are increasingly turning away from the country. And now the Spanish Tourist Office is planning a three-year rebranding exercise. New tourism adverts will hit Britain in January as Spanish officials try to beat off competition from destinations like Turkey and Croatia. The tourist office’s new director, Enrique Ruiz de Lera, said Spain faced major challenges and was looking to other successful consumer brands for help. He compared his country to computer giant Microsoft, leading the market for many years but now challenged by Apple. “These other destinations are competing hard. They have an excellent product and have learned from our mistakes,” he said. “We need to refresh our brand.” Mr Ruiz de Lera also said Spain was seen as “uncool” by young people in the same way as under-30s do not want to buy Levi jeans because they are worn by parents. As part of its drive, the Spanish Tourist Office is working with MTV to create branded telly ads. And Mr Ruiz de Lera said he believed he could boost the average spend per tourist by 15% in three years. He added: “It’s a long shot. But you have to be bold.”