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With a possible slow down in the European property market, who will be buying property in Spain in 2008? With the 2008 F1 season about to begin, the quiet holiday island of Menorca has played host to the world's top teams. After a wash out summer Irish holidaymakers are planning their 2008 trips early, and many are choosing off the beaten track locations. As winter closes in it's not just the birds flying south - Scots are taking winter holidays and escaping to the sun in record numbers. Spain and her islands are as popular as ever with tourists for summer holidays - but increasingly so for the winter months too. The only downside about going on holiday is deciding where to go because there are so many options around nowadays. It's a battle royal in 2008 as environmentalists see air travel as a main contributor to carbon emissions. The holiday companies are offering better deals than ever before in financial terms - the green lobby says it will cost the earth. If you're wondering where to go on vacation this summer, the Spanish island of Menorca is sure to delight tourists and could be a good choice. In today's world of booking a holiday on the internet, self catering holidays have really come into their own, with photos and even videos showing off villas and apartments that could be home for a week or two. Spain attracts millions of holidaymakers a year - but Hollywood actors and film producers are increasingly finding the country a grat location to film - and for some to live. Mediterranean cruises are becoming increasingly popular, and the Spanish island of Menorca has one of the deepest ports in the world, allowing even the biggest cruise ships to sail in for a day or two. Spain's best known tourist areas are the Costa del Sol and the Costa Blanca - and they're fighting it out to increase the number of tourists visiting them. A late rush for holidays this summer meant that traditional low cost flight companies were able to raise their prices from the UK to the European mainland, including the holiday hotspots of Majorca and Menorca. Sunshine, the Mediterranean and a relaxed way of life is tempting more and more Brits to both holiday and live on Spanish islands like Majorca and Menorca. A summer of cloudy skies, rain and in some areas of England floods has helped Spain and her holiday islands to a good year for tourist arrivals. The Balearic islands of Majorca and Menorca benefitted particularly well. Facts and figures released by the Spanish tourist authorities show that a single tourist is likely to spend more than an entire visiting family. UK demand for Spanish properties has seen British banks opening branches near the most popular areas, with Menorca being one of the beneficiaries. One bank is opening a branch on the quietest of the Balearic Islands, Menorca, anticipating further demand. The Spanish island of Menorca, the quietest of the Balearic Islands, is set to welcome the Classic Yachts weekend. It's a boost for the island's tourism figures. Spain has been the favourite holiday destination for the British, Germans and other Europeans for nearly fifty years. Cheap destinations in the former Eastern Bloc and cheaper air travel to other destinations have provided a challenge to Spain, but 2007 has started well. Holidaymakers on the Mediterranean island of Menorca might be surprised at a dark side of her history. 1 2 | ||
