Spain Welcomes Surge in British Tourist Arrivals

Nov. 14, 2011 - PRLog -- The UK continues to be Spain’s most important tourism market cumulatively capturing the largest share (24%) of all international arrivals, followed by Germany (15%) and France (15%).

Broken down by period, during the month of April, Spain attracted well over 1.1 million UK tourists, a 42% increase year on year. This is attributed in part to the 2010 ash cloud which for 2010 caused a slump in visitor numbers ahead of the busy summer period. Despite this year on year anomaly, from June to September 2011, Spain welcomed more than 6.7 million British tourists compared to 6.2 million for the same period last year, representing an increase of 8%. For September alone, British tourist arrivals were up 11% year or year, further strengthening Spain’s tourism position.

Broken down by region, for the period January to September 2011 the Spanish Islands captured the highest percentage of all UK tourist arrivals with the Balearic Islands attracting almost a quarter of all UK arrivals (24%), followed closely by the Canaries (23%). For mainland Spain, the southern region of Malaga region pulled in the most British tourists (18%) whilst the region of Valencia also proved popular (attracting 15%). For the same period in 2010, these regions followed an identical pattern but with the Canary Islands proving more popular for the later winter months (October, November and December).

The outlook for the whole winter season is looking very positive too with a forecast growth, year on year, being as high as 15% for Tenerife.  Tenerife seems to be aiming to re-position itself as a higher end destination than has been the common view in recent years.  Commenting Carlos Alonso, Chief Executive of the Cabildo Insular de Tourismo for Tenerife, said “the good prospects for the Island as a luxury destination, a segment in which for Tenerife Tourism are betting heavily on the United Kingdom.”

This increase in interest in Tenerife as a holiday destination has been mirrored in Worldwide Timeshare Hypermarket's(http://www.timeshare-hypermarket.com) figures for enquiries they have dealt with over the past three months.  These have shown a marked 25% increase in the numbers looking to purchase timeshare in Tenerife (http://www.timeshare-hypermarket.com/destinations/tenerif... a 23% increase in those looking to rent timeshare on the island.(http://www.timeshare-exchange.co.uk/bonus-weeks.aspx)

The Canary Islands remain a very important sector for Worldwide Timeshare Hypermarket's operations with Gran Canaria, home to high class timeshare resorts such as Club Gran Anfi and  Anfi Beach Club, coming a close second in popularity behind Tenerife.

Tenerife itself has long been seen as the major timeshare destination out of all the Canary Islands due to the volume of resort and choice on the island with resorts such as Royal Sunset Beach Club and Parque del Sol Beach Club in and around Playa de Las Americas and Fairways Club and Royal Tenerife Country Club in Golf del Sur.

Worldwide Timeshare Hypermarket sees the Canaries as key to it's continued growth and have set up a network of agents in many European countries who specialise in the Canary Islands timeshare resale market.

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Worldwide Timeshare Hypermarket are Europe's leading timeshare resale company and have undertaken many new initiatives aimed at educating the public to the benefits of timeshare.