WELCOME TO SPAIN – HOLIDAYS DON’T GET EASIER THAN THIS

• Spain tops Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Index for first time (World Economic Forum)
• Spanish visitor numbers up 4.4% on previous year (Ministry of Industry, Energy and Tourism)
• Buying property in Spain is a ‘swift and easy process’ (Taylor Wimpey España)

There are some people for whom the idea of the perfect holiday involves exploring almost unchartered corners of the globe: following goat trails up remote mountains, or paddling a tiny canoe through a rainforest alive with the buzz of insects and the calls of colourful, exotic birds. Then there is the much larger group of tourists whose vacation demands are much simpler: they want somewhere warm to relax, with a nice pool, a beach nearby and a few good restaurant options for dinner.

While the first group of travellers are online trying to charter tiny propeller planes to take them to the back of beyond, following 20 hours of exhausting travel by plane, boat, bus and donkey, the second need look no further than the sunny shores of Spain, which has just been voted the world’s most tourist-friendly country.

It is the first time that Spain has topped the global biennial World Economic Forum Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Index, having come fourth in 2013 and eighth in 2011. The Iberian country took top marks for its cultural resources and was ranked fourth globally both for supporting tourists’ online searches for entertainment and for infrastructure. Essentially, Spain is the very essence of an easy holiday in the sun.

Marc Pritchard, Sales and Marketing Director of leading Spanish homebuilder Taylor Wimpey España and resident of the Spanish island of Mallorca, comments,

“Spain is such a friendly country that it really deserves the top spot. It’s a wonderful place to visit and makes everything so easy, even for tourists who speak no more Spanish than a simple ‘gracias.’ Even buying property here is a swift and easy process compared to many other countries, so Spain is the ideal location for a second home.”

Second home ownership in Spain is extremely popular with buyers from the UK, Scandinavia and Belgium, as well as from other areas of Europe and beyond and, of course, owning a second home there makes the holiday booking process even easier. There’s no worrying about reading hotel reviews, trying to work out where the nearest beaches are or whether or not the villa you want to rent will be available. All that needs booking is a flight and away you go.

In keeping with all things easy, those looking for key-ready Spanish properties would do well to consider CalaMagrana III, at Porto Cristo, Mallorca. With two bedroom apartments available from €230,000, the complex enjoys close proximity to the sea, the marina of Porto Cristo and several excellent golf courses. Ground floor apartments feature spacious terraces and private gardens, while those on the top floor have wonderful roof terraces. The development is finished off with a sizeable swimming pool and richly scented communal gardens.

Certainly Spain’s charms are working for the masses. 16 million international tourists visited the country during the first four months of 2015, up 4.4% over the previous year, according to the Spanish Ministry of Industry, Energy and Tourism. Brits accounted for 3.3 million visitors, followed by the French at 2.6 million and Germans at 2.5 million. Regardless of their origin, all of these travellers have had the chance to enjoy the ease of visiting Spain and the chance to soak up some sunshine with barely a moment’s hassle.