SPAIN STILL NUMBER ONE HOLIDAY DESTINATION.

New figures have named Spain as the top EU destination once again, showing that despite the economic climate, the country remains the dream spot for many tourists. Euro stat found that in 2011, 13 per cent of all outbound trips in Europe where made to Spain, with Italy and France coming in second place (nine per cent respectively). These figures do not include holiday makers outside of the EU and actual visitor numbers are likely to be much higher.

The most popular areas for investment are Alicante, Malaga, Barcelona, the Balearic Islands and Madrid. For those interested in the holiday let market, selecting the right location is integral. The Costa del Sol and Costa Blanca have proven particularly sought after among investors and holiday makers.

It was also revealed that Spain is the preferred choice among Portuguese, British and French tourists, with market shares of 39 per cent, 21 per cent and 18 per cent respectively. This flies in the face of most research, which indicates it is in fact people from the UK that make up the majority of travelers in Spain.

These figures will no doubt be welcomed by Spaniards, who have been faced with a deluge of bad news over the coming years, thanks to the recession. What's more, they indicate investors looking to enter the holiday let market should set their sights on Spanish property, to benefit from low real estate prices and high demand.

Data shows that many foreign buyers are already capitalizing on the assets the country has to offer. Spain's Ministry of Development revealed overseas buyers upped their investment in real estate by 13.7 per cent in 2012, equating to €6,336 million worth of property transactions on private homes. This is considerably greater than the €5,573.3 million noted in 2011.

Over the last quarter of 2012, activity was particularly strong, with overseas investors buying 47 per cent more homes than the same time in 2011. Some 13,873 properties were bought by foreigners between October and December. This appetite for Spanish real estate shows little sign of abating anytime soon, and non-residents of the country have been increasing their market share for six consecutive quarters.