Welcome winter visitors

THE Imserso programme of pensioners’ subsidised winter holidays was cancelled, but pensioners are still arriving in Benidorm.
Some have second residences, but others are travelling thanks to initiatives in their own municipalities.
These include Fuenlabrada (Madrid) whose Third Age Cultural Association (Acumafu) organised the arrival last Sunday of 41 pensioners who were greeted by Benidorm’s mayor Toni Perez.
A party from the group visited the town hall the following day, when Perez praised Acumafu’s courage in organising the week’s holiday.
“Covid does not have to change all aspects of our lives,” the mayor declared. “Some can be altered with safety measures and self-protection.”
Benidorm was open and it was secure, Perez assured the pensioners.
“It offers happiness and is safer than many of the localities where our visitors live.”
Hoteliers’ association Hosbec also viewed the Fuenlabrada initiative with optimism.
“Programmes like these could prevent closures this winter,” Hosbec sources predicted.