The beaches, resorts and assorted tourist attractions of Europe are undergoing a quiet revolution; a transformation to match the foreign-holiday boom unleashed by cheap package tours in the 1960s. The Russians are no longer coming. They have arrived. And the Chinese are on their way in even bigger numbers. With its pretty piazzas and ancient […]
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Europe’s most alluring spots become a playground for the new rich of the east
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311% increase in Scandinavian sales as buyers swoop on the Spanish property market
With Moody’s downgrading the UK, Italy struggling to form a political coalition and Eurozone unemployment at record highs, you might think Europe was a lost cause but think again. Across the North Sea, our Scandinavian neighbours have in fact weathered the financial storm better than most. Indeed the Nordic financial model operated in Norway, Denmark, […]
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Russian tourists boost Spain’s tourism sector
Big-spending Russian tourists are flocking to Spain’s beaches and famous landmarks in ever greater numbers, providing a much-needed boost to the recession-hit country’s key tourism industry. They are drawn by the country’s mix of pleasant weather, sandy beaches, historic monuments. and cultural attractions such as the Prado museum in Madrid and Antoni Gaudi’s Sagrada The […]
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Picasso’s earliest works in Málaga
In the late 19th century, Malaga was a city full of contrasts. The enterprising spirit of the bourgeois classes had resulted in there being over 150 registered factories here in 1878. A large part of the population worked in them, with working hours of up to seventy hours a week. Described in travel books as […]
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Foreign buyers take advantage of cheaper property prices in Spain
The number of properties bought in Spain by foreigners rose for five consecutive quarters between 2011 and 2012 as they took advantage of falling prices. The third quarter of last year saw the greatest rise in home sales to foreigners, 18% more than the equivalent quarter in 2011 and a total of 8,803 transactions, official […]
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Come and celebrate St. Valentine’s Day in Spain
Come to Spain in February and celebrate Valentine’s Day in a very special way. Wondering what to give your partner for St. Valentine’s Day? You may just find your answer here: a romantic trip to Spain to make it an unforgettable celebration. You will find it all: evocative landscapes, lovers’ legends, wonderful sunsets… Organise the […]
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Russian interest in Marbella property gathers momentum
News this month from the Malaga Developer’s Association reveals that the Russians have overtaken the Germans to become the second largest international home buying audience on the Costa del Sol. Marbella agent Spanish Hot Properties believes this is a trend to continue. Nick Stuart, Director of Spanish Hot Properties, says, “Russians now make up 9% […]
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Spain posts record 57.9 million visitors in 2012
In spite of the crisis, Spain in 2012 had a record influx of 57.9 million tourists, +1.75% over the previous year, the ministry of tourism made known on Thursday. The figure is the third highest after 2007 (59.2 million tourists) and 2006 (58.4 million). Visitors last year brought revenue of 57.7 billion euros (+5.9% over […]
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Spanish home buyers seen from Egypt, Iran, Vietnam
Spain will this year experience an influx of foreign investors taking advantage of cheaper residential property, and nationalities seeking to invest are likely to include some from countries such as Egypt, Iran and even Vietnam, says UK-based realtor Inmoaction. Spain has been traditionally popular with the British, Germans, Scandinavians and the Russian, but more and […]
