News & Events from around the world

Spain attracts foreign property buyers

09/05/2008
Demand for property in Spain is particularly high among British investors and second home seekers, it has been claimed. According to marketing firm Global Edge, a trawl of internet searches show that five out of the top ten most popular overseas investment destinations are Spanish. Moreover, the top 103 locations are full of the names of Spanish towns and coastal areas, such as Costa Blanca, Cost del Sol and the Canary Islands. Global Edge says there is "considerable search volume", with Costa Teguise, Palm Mar and Caleta de Fuste all making an appearance in the list. "If you sell overseas property in Spain, it maybe worth sourcing partners in these places if you haven't already," said the firm. In related news, the discovery of a capital gains tax scam exposed by Spanish lawyers and currency exchange brokers HiFX could be good news for Britons who sold a property in Spain between March 2004 and December 2006. They could be owed a 20 per cent tax rebate, amounting to an average of �11,000 per investor.

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Non-eurozone countries recommended to tourists

09/05/2008
Now that the strengthening of the euro is having an effect on people's holiday habits, the Guardian has come up with a list of short-haul destinations that are outside the eurozone. Rather than visiting the regular haunts in France, Spain and Greece, Britons could check out Poland's cheap hotels on the Baltic coast before the ex-communist country enters the single currency. Over in Turkey, "large stretches" of the south coast are easy on the wallet and offer "obscenely blue waters" and "startling" scenery, according to the newspaper. Other alternatives include the Albanian Riviera and even rural Iceland, which has seen the strength of its currency fall in recent months, meaning it is now a good time for British tourists to make a visit. Reykjavik, for example, has an "amazing concentration" of bars, music venues, galleries and boutiques, while the north of the island boasts "superb" views of ice-topped mountains and "tranquil" lakes. Last month, the Post Office released a tourist destinations index that indicated that holidaymakers could make their money go further in Turkey and Egypt than western Europe.

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Croatia recommended to second home buyers

08/05/2008
Croatia has been described as "a stunning, beautiful, dramatic and incredibly fascinating country" that is great for second home buyers and retirees. Although the cost of real estate has risen, the day-to-day cost of living in Croatia has remained flat, while retaining a "fabulous" quality of life, according to Amberlamb. "The pace of life is slower, the climate is more attractive than the British climate for example, and the people are welcoming," said director Rhiannon Davies. Furthermore, Croatia's transport infrastructure and healthcare are improving, which means the country is well on the way to becoming an overseas retirement hotspot once it becomes a member of the EU, possibly in 2010. "It is rising in terms of its appeal among would-be overseas retirees," she added. According to the Croatian tourist board, around 11 million tourists visited Croatia between January and November 2007, up eight per cent on the same period in 2006. Meanwhile, the EU has agreed to invest millions of euros in Croatia's tourism industry.

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French tourists head for eastern Europe

08/05/2008
Many French tourists are heading for coastal resorts in eastern European countries like Albania, Croatia and Slovenia, it has been claimed. BalkanTravellers.com stated that the number of French tourists is growing every year, with some resorts seeing visitor numbers increasing by 50 per cent per year. This is despite the fact that the first guide on Serbia and Montenegro in French was only printed three years ago, according to the website, which describes the region as having some of the "greatest variety of pristine, off-the-beaten track destinations" in Europe. Moreover, the sharp decline in civil conflict in the Balkans means that holidaymakers are taking advantage of cultural heritage sites, underdeveloped ski-resorts and spa wells that are "hidden in majestic mountains and numerous, yet-to-be-explored natural parks". According to official figures, about 500 properties in Slovenia were sold to Europeans during its first year as a member of the EU.

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More families to go on self-catering trips

07/05/2008
Self-catering holidays are likely to become more and more popular among British families, according to travel experts. The Association of Independent Tour Operators (AITO) said holidaymakers like self-catering trips because it gives them more independence than staying at a hotel. This, it stated, is particularly good for families with young children, as they can prepare a meal while their infant is asleep upstairs. Furthermore, it means people are not obliged to head out every evening and can choose to stay in if they wish. A spokesperson for AITO said: "That is an attractive proposition for a lot of people." This comes after research by MyChild.co.uk revealed that traditional European destinations are still the holiday destinations of choice for British families. According to the group, Spain and France are currently the two most-popular countries among parents and children who are going abroad this summer.

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Airline opens up mainland Europe to Yorkshire

07/05/2008
Thomas Cook Airlines has announced that it plans to expand further into the continental European market. According to the carrier, it will launch a number of new flights from Leeds Bradford International Airport (LBIA) later this year. The services will include flights to places such as Greece, Turkey, Cyprus and Malta and will commence operations this summer. Meanwhile, routes to Spanish destinations - including the Canary Islands and the Balearics - will also be added to its schedules. This means that people who live in the vicinity of Leeds will be able to go on holiday directly from their local airport. Tony Hallwood, commercial and aviation development director at LBIA, commented: "We know for many customers across the Yorkshire region, flying from their regional airport is high priority when booking their holiday." Frank Pullman, managing director of Thomas Cook Airlines, added that the carrier is "looking forward" to serving holidaymakers from Yorkshire. According to figures from the Civil Aviation Authority, 241 million passengers passed through British airports last year.

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Regional airports to become more popular

06/05/2008
Regional airports in the UK are likely to become more and more popular, according to a leading official. Tony Hallwood, commercial and aviation development director at Leeds Bradford International Airport (LBA), stated that local transport hubs are likely to go from strength to strength in the next few years. This, he said, is because regional portals are increasingly adding new services to its schedules, thereby negating the need to travel from the main London-based airports. Mr Hallwood commented: "There is now less need for people to trawl down to London to connect to flights worldwide." He added that LBA has been one of the fastest-growing regional airports in the UK over the last four years, with passenger numbers going up by 75 per cent. This was largely attributed to the addition of new services to Europe, although Mr Hallwood said the airport is planning to tap into more long-haul destinations in the near future. According to figures from the Civil Aviation Authority, 241 million passengers passed through British airports last year.

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Italy recommended to second home buyers

06/05/2008
Overseas property buyers have been advised to consider purchasing a second home in Italy. Property specialist Hamptons stated that lifestyle buyers and investors are becoming more and more acquainted with the country's charms. According to Enrico Cristiani, spokesperson for the company's new Rome branch, southern Italy in particular is an especially good location for foreign nationals to consider. Speaking to the newspaper, he said this area offers both "charm and culture" to visitors from abroad. Mr Cristiani commented: "The Italian market provides a broad range of investment options." He added that the province of Calabria is one of the best Italian markets to consider, along with Puglia. The comments come soon after the south of the country was described as an "up and coming" region by property firm Homes In Italy. Mark Slaviero, director of the company, added that foreign property buyers can enjoy a high quality of life in this area, as well as a lower cost of living.

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