2016
Saw Increase in Number of British Holidaymakers Heading to Spain, and More are
Expected in 2017
It looks like the relationship between Brits and Spain can
survive just about anything; from economic crashes and the f
allying pound, to
the TV show Benidorm and the Brexit.
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Spain continues to be one of the most visited
country's in the world
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The strength of the bond was shown in 2016, as the official
data from travel market analysts GfK proves that just under 18 million Brits headed to Spain for their holiday last year. Even though this figure is a
record breaking number, it’s expected the record could be broken as early as
this year. GfK are reporting that there are already 16% more Brits making early
summer holiday bookings compared to last year.
There are a number of reasons behind the never-ending
demand; Spain has much warmer and settled weather than the UK; it has cheaper
leisure options including food and drink; accommodation is cheaper in Spain;
and the Spanish property market is much better value for money than the British
one.
There are also some more abstract reasons for this love
affair. Success begets success, and it can feel like stepping foot on a Spanish
runway for the first time ever is almost a traditional thing for Brits to do.
While Brits “might” visit countries such as France, Italy, and the US, Spain is one of those countries that they “must” visit.
Spain has also built up a reputation as being a bit of a
safe haven from the terrorism problems found in rival nations in the
Mediterranean such as Tunisia, Turkey, and Egypt. This has made the country
much more appealing for tourists around the world; particularly the Brits.
The VC of Tourism in the Canary Islands Cristóbal de la Rosa
spoke about being pleased with the figures. It was expected that numbers could
fall following the Brexit and the drop in value for the pound. However, figures
have only risen. There have been some uncertainties, but all they did was
strengthen the British need to visit Spain and enjoy a holiday in the country.
