Has This Been the Best Summer Ever for the Costa del Sol?

Has This Been the Best Summer Ever for the Costa del Sol?

The whole year has been fantastic and full of tourists 

What is it that makes a summer special? The weather? Howoften you get to go to the beach? A good football tournament? Getting to travel? Those sweet summer romances?

Summer has a lot of different meanings for a lot of different people, but for an area such as the Costa del Sol, summer generally means blue skies, packed beaches, busy restaurants, and healthy coffers in bars, hotels, cafes, and clubs.

While being busier may not always be better, for an area of the world that depends so heavily on tourism, the more people entering the Costa del Sol the better for its reputation, experience, and services.

With this said, it’s fair to say the Costa del Sol of Spain may have just had their best summer ever. Data taken from the region’s hotel association AHECOS and Turismo Costa del Sol reveal that visitor numbers between June and September were up 5.2% compared to the same time period last year.

This means over seven million people chose to visit theCosta del Sol during the summer, which is the highest amount of tourists ever. But if you are put off by the idea of beaches packed to the brim, then consider the businesses in the region – the boost in tourism improved employment by 8%, and generated over €7.15 billion for the Costa del Sol across summer.

Further statistical information from the tourist board shows that overnight stays during summer increased by 2.36% during summer, with new arrivals increasing by 1.6% over last year.

The positive data has led to speculation that 2017 may very well be the best summer ever for the Costa del Sol, with a large amount of the surge caused by holidaymakers from Britain, Germany, and Scandinavian countries. They can’t resist coming back to the country each year, bringing their full pockets with them. The number of British holidaymakers was up 7% over last year, according to AEHCOS.

Looking into the tradition slower winters, data from airportbookings in Malaga has suggested that arrivals will increase 12% between November and January compared to the same period from last year.

Study Finds Costa del Sol One of the Best Value Beach Destinations in Europe

Study Finds Costa del Sol One of the Best Value Beach Destinations in Europe

There are 100's kilometres of fantastic beaches on the Costa del sol

A study from the UK Post Office of 19 European beach destinations discovered the Costa del Sol is the third-most affordable resort in Europe.

Even though Sunny Beach in Bulgaria was the top of the polls, it was still impressive for the Costa del Sol to come in third behind the Algarve in Portugal, especially given that the region comes with some of the most luxurious and family-friendly resorts in the world.

The Post Office survey analysed the cost of a basket of the everyday items a family would need on holiday. They found that it would cost £61 for all these items in the Costa del Sol. The basket includes 10 holiday staples such as ice cream, sun cream, and evening drinks and meals.

At the Sunny Beach of the Bulgarian Black Sea, the basket cost just £37, and £58 in the Algarve.

An interesting statistic is that the most expensive location in Europe can also be found in Spain. This shopping basket would cost £131 in Ibiza. So, by comparison, the Costa del Sol is incredible value.

While Marbella and Puerto Banús might not have the reputation and the nightlife of Ibiza, they are still able to stand their ground as far as glamorous clubs goes. In terms of theme parks, beaches, weather, restaurants, transport, choice and culture; there’s a wealth of choice in Costa del Sol.

Not far away from Cosat del Sol is the Costa Blanca, where the tourist basket would be £76; over 25% more expensive than in the Costa del Sol. It’s £89 in Majorca, around 47% higher than in the Costa del Sol.

The top five was completed by Marmaris in Turkey and Paphos in Cyprus. The five most expensive resorts of Europe were Ibiza, Sorrento of Italy, Nice of France, Zadar of Croatia, and the Lisbon coast in Portugal.

Figures Show This Was the Best March Ever for Spanish Job Creation

Figures Show This Was the Best March Ever for Spanish Job Creation

Great news for spain as a whole

When it comes to Spanish job creation, all of the projections from economists are positive when it comes to the year ahead. Many experts are confident that Spanish unemployment could dip below 17%; making it the first time this has happened in years.

Data from the Labour Ministry of Spain was published this week that shows why there is such certainty about this recovery. The figures for March show that Spain created more jobs this March than in any other March since records began.

A total of 48,500 Spaniards entered the workforce in March, with the figure soaring above 392,000 for the past 12 months. This equates to everybody in a mid-sized city being given a brand-new job.

Eurostat suggest that the figure could be even higher. They feel that over half a million Spaniards have entered the working world over the past year; which is the equivalent of the entire population of Malaga.

The total amount of Spaniards not working has dropped down to just four million. The most striking thing is that, during the past 12 months, some 1.2 million new jobs were created in the entire 19-member strong Eurozone. This would mean that Spain was responsible for around half of everyone employed during this time period.

There are a wider range of jobs on offer in the country too. The amount of indefinite contracts has risen by 18% across the past year, outperforming growth in the temporary employment sector; which increased 14.5%. This would appear to symbolise a growing confidence in the long-term growth of the country.

As far as industries go; it was the construction sector of Spain that had the best growth in March. The construction sector was responsible for some 2.44% of the jobs created; putting it ahead of every other sector.

Costa del Sol Golf Course Ranked Best in World

Costa del Sol Golf Course Ranked Best in World

The prestigious Finca Cortesín – the home of the Volvo World Match Play Championships of 2009, ’11, and ’12 – has been given the honour of being declared the best golf resort in all of Europe.

Given that Malaga has over 70 golf courses it’s really not much of a surprise that the Costa del Sol – or Costa del Golf if you will – has become the European destination of choice for golfers. The area has seen a wide range of accolades over the years.

Considered as one of the best courses in the World

This time the accolades came in the form of golfing website Leading Courses. The website conducted a poll and the results showed that the Finca Cortesín golf course in Cesares – home of the 2009, 2011, and 2012 Volvo World Match Play Championships – was the best golf course in Europe. The runner up was the Mote Rei Golf and Country Club in Portugal, while the Rockliffe Hall Hotel Golf and Spa resort in County Durham snagged third place for the UK.

There were plenty of other Costa del Sol golf resorts to be found in the Leading Courses Top 100 for 2017, including Villa Padierna (found in the triangle of Estepona, Marbella, and Benahavis) which came in 24^th, and the La Cala Resort, which came in 58^th.

Spain had the highest number of golf resorts in the top 100 with 17. England came in second with 15 resorts, and Portugal came in third with 13.

OECD Better Life Index Ranks Spain Among Best In The World for Work-Life Balance

OECD Better Life Index Ranks Spain Among Best In The World for Work-Life Balance

Its no surprise that Spain is one of the best

places in the world to live.

The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) recently published the results from their latest Better Life Index. The results show that Spain performed quite well on several indices. So moving to Spain could greatly improve your life.

Even though overall life satisfaction was down globally – a mood swing likely caused by the never-ending economic problems of the world – Spain performed quite well in several areas. These great results included topping the table on work-life balance, the sense of community, and health and safety. 

The Better Life Index ranks the 34 most stable and rich nations the world over and ranks them based a number of topics including: Income, Housing, Community, Jobs, Environment, Education, Civic Engagement, Life Satisfaction, Health, Safety, and Work-Life Balance.

While Spain didn’t perform too well on some indices, such as jobs and income, in general life Spain is better than the OECD average.

The index results make for an interesting read. In terms of income the average disposable income of a Spanish household was €16,962, which was just below the €17,111 OECD average. There is also quite a divide between the richest and poorest people in Spain; the top 20 of Spanish earners are six times richer than the bottom 20%.

Spain also ranked just below the OECD average in employment levels. The results show that 58% of the working-age people in Spain have a paid job. This is a little below the 66% average. The study also shows that the Spanish work less hours than average. Spaniards work for an average of 1,690 hours in a year which is slightly less than the 1,776 average. Spain also performed a little blow par in education. Only 53% of adults aged between 25 and 64 hold a degree in Spain, which is significantly lower than the 74% OECD average.

The Good News

The good news is that, even though it’s bad that Spain has low job prospects and earnings, along with less highly educated people, the OECD study showcased how strong Spanish lifestyle and culture is. Spain has one of the longest life expectancies in the world; the Spanish life expectancy is 82 years; higher than the 80 years OECD average.

Spain also did well in terms of community. Spaniards are generally gregarious and friendly. They also possess a strong sense of civic duty that led to Spain doing well in this area. 93% of Spanish people said that they had someone they could call on if they found themselves in need; higher than the OECD average of 90%.

Spain also topped the tables in terms of the work-life balance; scoring a 9.1 out of 10.

Spain performed above average overall when compared to other nations in the Better Life Index. The cultural strength of the country made up for the shortcomings that gotten worse since the economy went down. Even though Spain still has some economic problems it remains one of the safest country in the world. Spain has the eighth-lowest homicide rate, great gender equality levels, low cost of living and an overall widespread sense of personal security is felt by every Spaniard.

Spain Still Has One of the Best Life Expectancies in the World

Spain Still Has One of the Best Life Expectancies in the World

Spain and the Costa del Sol with its healthy

diet and warm feel good factor is  a fantastic

place to live.

Spaniards live a pretty long life thanks to their endless supply of sunshine, sea and fresh air. Many studies have been done that prove the benefits of living the traditional Mediterranean lifestyle, with practically every wealthy Western nation bordering the Med enjoying their own long life expectancy compared to Europe and even most of the world.

Data published from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has shown that Spain is starting to pull away from the rest of Europe in terms of life expectancy, along with France and Italy.

The Spanish average life expectancy has risen again and is now 82 years, which represents a five year increase over the past 20 years. It’s also one of the highest life expectancies in the western world. Back in 1990 the average Spanish life expectancy was 77 years, compared to the British 76 years. Britain has also seen an increase and now the average life expectancy for Brits is 81.5 years.

On a global level Spain ranks in 13^th when it comes to life expectancy. The top spot belongs to Andorra; the small country bordering Spain and France. People in Andorra can expect to live to an average age of 83.9 years.

While Japan did come in second place with their average lifespan of 83.3 years, they were followed by Iceland, Switzerland, Israel, Cyprus, Malta and Italy; showcasing that European countries, especially those around the Mediterranean, are where you need to live if you want to live as long as possible.

The Spanish also have some of the healthiest lifestyles in the world, according to more research that was conducted by Public Health England. The research showed that in England there are large discrepancies in health.

People living in the southeast and southwest of England have some of the best life expectancies in Europe but the more northern areas of the UK, in particular Scotland, performed badly in terms of health and longevity.

Another study; this one from the Global Burden of Disease, showed that living Spain reduces the chances of dying from many of the diseases and afflictions that plague the British including poor diets, diabetes, and high blood pressure; all of which play a big role in the health and death statistics of the country.

Spaniards are protected from many of the common diet-related health issues thanks to the Mediterranean Diet comprised of fruit, vegetables, fish and pulses. Spaniards are also guaranteed to get plenty of rest and their daily doses of vitamins C and D thanks to the generally slower paced lifestyle of Spain and the climate there.

TripAdvisor Names Spanish Restaurant Best in The World

TripAdvisor Names Spanish Restaurant Best in The World

The Lasarte restaurant near San Sebastian in Spain was recently named the World’s Best restaurant as part of the TripAdvisor Traveller’s Choice awards for the second year in a row.

Many people trust TripAdvisor to provide them with honest reviews of restaurants, resorts, and hotels. It’s become so well trusted that many consider it the authority on where to find the best and worst places to visit.

Its confirmed Spain has the best restaurant and on

of the healthiest lifestyles in the world

With this in mind it’s only expected that the three-Michelin star Lasarte restaurant welcomed the news that they had been ranked the best establishment in the world in the 2016 Annual Traveller’s Choice Awards with a little fanfare.

While it is true that Michelin Stars are still considered the main hallmark of quality it’s hard to beat being ranked the first in a global peer-reviewed survey. It’s not surprising that the top chef and owner of the restaurant Martín Berasategui was very happy about the news.

This year marks the second year in a row that the restaurant won the award. It’s an undoubtable sign that the restaurant and their twist on traditional Spanish cuisine has become a major hit around the world.

Lasarte wasn’t the only Spanish restaurant in the top ten. They were joined by Azurmendi Gastronómico, which can be found a few kilometres away from Lasarte in Larrabetzu. France was the only country besides Spain to have two restaurants rank top ten in the world.

Northern Spain has become a bit of a hotbed for haute cuisine excellence and innovation. Restaurants such as the unfortunately-now-closed El Bulli Restaurant drew crowds including celebrities to the town of Roses in Catalan for years.

TripAdvisor uses the reviews from millions of users to put together their Travellers Choice Awards. They look at both the quantity and quality of reviews that destinations receive along a 12 month period.

As well as putting together a global top 10 TripAdvisor assembled a list of the ten best restaurants in Europe. This list included a third Spanish restaurant; El Cellar de Can Roca in Girona.

There was quite the surprise in the results, especially for people who have a poor opinion of British food; the global top 10 also included three restaurants from the UK; which was the most of any single country.

Spain has always been in the news with its wonderful Mediterranean lifestyle, great weather, low costing property and cost of living being so appealing.

Study Suggests Spain is Best Place to Start a Business

Study Suggests Spain is Best Place to Start a Business

If you’re studying business in Spain then the studies suggest that you’ll be more successful of an entrepreneur than anywhere else.

Record numbers of New Businesses are opening all over Spain

A study from the Financial Times (FT) shows that Spain really is the best place for aspiring entrepreneurs to study.

The research is based on information from full-time and executive MBA alumni (Master of Business) from the world over. The findings showed that more of the most successful entrepreneurs received their business schooling in Spain than any other country.

Even though Singapore and the UAE were considered to be the best place to actually launch your startup, the data suggests that many of these business students stay in Spain when they finish their studies; making the country the sixth-best place in the world to start a business, placing them ahead of Germany, the USA, and the UK.

Something that is more interesting is that the Spanish were second place when it came to successful entrepreneurs behind only Mexicans. It looks like there might just be something about the Spanish water that inspires business potential.

Part of the reason for this entrepreneurial success could also come from an economy that has made it hard for young Spaniards to find full-time employment; causing them to go into business for themselves.

Despite this the main cause for celebration must still be the incredible Spanish business school performance. The Financial Times data shows that Spain had the highest proportion of students who went on to set up their own company following graduation, pushing Swiss schools and US schools down to second and third.

It’s a pretty simple process to set up a company in Spain for both Spaniards and EU nationals. Even people who are outside of the EU shouldn’t have too much difficulty becoming an entrepreneur in Spain.

Spain recently changed their labour laws and the result is that it’s even easier to start business in Spain. These changes include relaxed employment laws that give potential business owners the chance to make bigger risks when it comes to growth strategies.

Another survey was carried out this week by BMC Software that discovered Spanish companies are some of the best companies in Europe when it comes to creating a creative and innovative workplace.

The study showed that 73% of the people employed in Spain feel that they can have their voices heard when it comes to creating change and innovation in their company; which is much higher than the 42% in the UK. Spanish companies also proved to be effective at inspiring their employees as 74% of employees are happy with the way their employment leaves them feeling.

These datasets show that Spain has come a long way from the old, nepotistic ways that Spain used to work. In the old days who you knew was always more important than what you knew. Things are continuing to move forward, which is good news for the youngsters and the increasing number of expats considering Spain as a place to start a new business and  can make a new life.

Spain Second Best Place for Expats to Live According to HSBC Poll

Spain Second Best Place for Expats to Live According to HSBC Poll

Spain and the Costa del Sol continues to attract

expats looking for a better quality of life and a low cost of living.

If you want your experience as an expat to be one of fun, safety, and relaxation then you should definitely consider Spain. HSBC recently ran their latest Expat Explorer Survey and it showed that Spain was ranked second globally. Spain did particularly well when it comes to health, culture, the quality of life, cost of living and the Spanish social life.

Even though Singapore came first again Spain still showed that it was a country that was able to deliver things that matter to expats. They were ranked first when it comes to health and second on categories relating to the quality of life and the social life.

Spain came in 16^th place overall out of the 66 countries included. Spain was let down it’s below average ranking in economic performance; especially career progression, wage growth, and job security.

Most people who are considering moving to Spain would feel that it ticks every box for them if they don’t need to work though. This is why retirees have always loved Spain, as have families who want access to great healthcare, a good climate, and a fun and varied social life.

The HSBC survey takes countries and ranks them across the three main categories of economics, experience, and family. Each category also has several sub-categories. Spain came in second overall in the Experience section (New Zealand came first), and did well in each sub-category including property, safety, integration, making friends, and culture. It also came in fifth in the Family category, with Sweden coming first. Spain performed well in tolerance, childcare, education and integration.

When it came to money Switzerland was king as over 30% of expats living in Switzerland earned over $200,000. The UK stuck to their reputation of being about as average as possible; coming in 20^th and neither failing nor exceeding in anything. London itself at least performed well when it came to job prospects.

The data from this survey shows that there are three kinds of expats; there are those who move for work, those who move for family, and those looking for a higher quality of life. If family and life are what matter to you then Spain is the place for you.

Spain Officially Has The Best Beaches In The World

Spain Officially Has The Best Beaches In The World

Costa del Sol has some amazing Beaches

Spain officially remains the best country in the world to take a trip to the beach. Spain managed to break the record it holds itself. The country now boasts 586 blue-flag beaches. Blue flags are only awarded to the cleanest and most environmentally friendly beaches and are awarded by the Association for Environmental Education and the Consumer (ADEAC), who also announced this news. 

This is nine more than the 577 blue flag beaches Spain had last year which means the country still boasts the most blue flag beaches in Spain, a record they have held on to since the awards were first handed out in 1987.

This statistic also means that one in every six of the best beaches in the world can be found in Span, and one beach out of five in Spain will have a blue flag flying.

There are four criteria involved in choosing whether a beach is blue flag worthy or not. They are the environmental education and information, water quality, environmental management and safety and services.

The best place in Spain was named as Valencia, which has 125 blue flags. Next came Galicia with 123, Catalonia with 98, Andalucía with 76, and the Balearic Islands with 45.

The country behind Spain in the rankings was Turkey with 444 blue flags. Behind Turkey was Greece with 430, France with 400, and Portugal with 315.

Spain Voted Best Place to Study Abroad

Spain Voted Best Place to Study Abroad

Madrid has been ranked the number one place to study in Europe by overseas students. Other Spanish cities Seville and Barcelona and Costa del Sol also placed highly.

The Madrid is voted a great place to study and live

Uniplaces have published a poll in which Spain was voted the best place to study by Erasmus students.

Madrid topped the poll while Seville and Barcelona placed highly as they came in fifth and seventh respectively.

These results mean that Spain had more cities in the top ten than any other country. These results are also confirmation of something that has long been suspected – you can’t beat Spain if you want to study abroad.

Cities were ranked using different criteria in the Uniplaces poll. The main criteria were the living costs, the education standards, the culture, the history and, of course, the nightlife that students could enjoy. Madrid has a party scene that was undoubtedly going to be a big hit with foreign students.

Madrid is also filled with culture, the universities are top notch, and the transport system is great. The city as a whole is safe and affordable. So students have virtually no worries outside of how well they are performing in school.

Spain had more going for it than just that though. Spain has a great climate and low cost of living in Spain that allows students to spend as much time sunbathing as they do studying. There are also so many great bars, restaurants and cafes throughout the country; especially in the big cities.

Spain is, of course, a great place to learn Spanish. For students outside of an English speaking country it also presents a great opportunity to learn English. The country has a lot of people who speak English, including a large number of former British citizens.

The size of the country, along with the variety of the different areas, make it a real treat to explore. Each part of Spain offers something unique and new for students to see. There are mountains in the northwest and the southeast has deserts.

Throw in all the coastline and it’s not hard to see why students are choosing Spain to spend their formative years.

Spain Voted Best Place to Study Abroad by International Students

Spain Voted Best Place to Study Abroad by International Students

Spain is a great place to lean Spanish and study

Uniplaces have published a poll that has found that Spain has been voted the best place to study abroad by Erasmus students.

The survey showed that Madrid was voted the best place to study abroad, with two other Spanish cities, namely Seville and Barcelona, placing in the top ten at fifth and seventh place.

As a result Spain had more cities in the top ten than any other country. It showed us proof of what we’ve suspected all along; Spain is the place to be when you’re considering studying abroad.

Uniplaces used five main criteria to rank the cities. They were the living costs, the education standards, the culture, the history, and, as they are students, the nightlife. The famous party scene of Madrid earned some major points with foreign students.

Madrid is also filled to the brim with culture, excellent universities and transport, and is a safe and affordable place to live. All the worries of students (outside of the studying) were minimal at best.

There were other factors involved that helped Spanish cities claim the top places. They have an excellent climate that allows students to mix studying with sunbathing, and bars, restaurants and cafes that keep them well fed and help them relax during stressful periods.

Spain is also a great place to learn Spanish, a language quickly becoming more common in Europe, as well as learn English from the many people who speak it in the country.

The size and variety of Spain make it a real treat to explore. Each of the corners of Spain offer something new and unique to travellers. The northwest has verdant mountains while the southeast comes with dry deserts.

Throw in the thousands of miles of coastline and it’s not hard to see why people would choose Spain as the place to spend some of the best years of their life.

Spain is the Most Libertarian Country in Europe and The Best Place to Get a Drink

Spain is the Most Libertarian Country in Europe and The Best Place to Get a Drink

People often use the term “nanny state” to mock laws and policies that are designed to nanny the population of a country and stop them from being able to do and think what they want. Many British people feel that the UK is quickly becoming a Nanny State. Most of Scandinavia is also stuck with that label. Even though Scandinavia and the UK do have strong economies and are seen as nice places to live, they are also thought of as being too controlling.

It’s become such a problem that the European Policy Information Center (EPICENTER) has developed their own Nanny State Index to show how much government control each European state exercises.

Come to Spain its the best country in Europe !

The results of the latest index will be interesting to many. They prove that some of these stereotypes do hold true. Finland, Sweden and the UK and Ireland do indeed exercise the most control over their citizens. Unsurprisingly perhaps most former Soviet nations have the most lax policies.

The index would rate nations based on their free-market and libertarian ideals across numerous factors. This included their stance on alcohol, healthcare, food and smoking. The ranking showed that Spain was the most carefree when it comes to alcohol. They have duty-free wine and low taxes on spirits and beer and great Spanish restaurants. They also have no statutory closing time on bars, pubs and clubs. This makes Spain the best destination in Europe to enjoy a great drink.

Spain also ranked best for food. The Spanish have a similarly lax attitude to dining late. They also eat anything they want when they want and don’t care so much about health and safety, making Spain the freest country for people looking to eat a hearty meal with one of the lowest cost of living.

Overall though Spain was let down in other areas and still ranked in the lower half. It was actually the Czech Republic that was ranked the freest nation in Europe. In a surprising turn Germany was ranked second.

The report says that most of the laws and taxes in Spain that make up the Nanny State Index were introduced with the idea that they would improve public health. This is surprising considering that Spain is the country with the second highest life expectancy after Japan. As a result the index went on to conclude that there is no direct correlation between these nanny state regulations and a higher life expectancy.

So there you have definitive proof that the government doesn’t know what it’s talking about after all. None of these rules improve your life expectancy. So go to Spain and eat, drink and be merry.

Spain-is-best-Place-to-get-a-drink

As per survey, Spain is the best country in Europe to give expats a home like feeling

As per a new survey, Spain is the best country in Europe to give expats a home like feeling

It is not only the literal warmth that draws tourists to Spain. The moment you step foot at the Malaga Airport in Spain, you will be pleased to meet the warm and friendly people there and will be glad of your decision to move to Spain permanently.

Best country in Europe for expat to feel at home

As per a recent survey conducted by HSBC Expat, Spain stands at the top of the list of how responsive a country is to make guests feel at home when they visit it.

Named as the Expat Explorer Survey, it took the opinion of nearly 22,000 people from all over the globe and asked them to rate their country of residence on how friendly and warm the locals have been ever since the time they have started living in the respective country.

However, the shocking and least expected country, Bahrain, topped the list with nearly 2/3^rd of the people saying that they as expats have felt very comfortable and welcome in Bahrain. India took the second position, while Malaysia stood third. The top spots were taken by far Eastern countries predominantly, leaving only Mexico, Russia and Spain as exceptions.

The only European country to feature in this list was Spain, which had a score of 56%, well over the global average of 48%, which clearly indicates its ability to be warm and welcome to expats despite the turbulence as far as immigration is concerned, prevails across Europe.

The survey also indicated that due to the advent of social media platforms and telecommunications in Spain, people are able to connect better and has helped expats significantly when they plan to settle in Spain. The sizeable community of expats in Spain also reflects how welcoming and friendly Spain is for expats from all over northern Europe. Most of the expats stay in the Costa del Sol region and the British and northern European have been able to settle easily in this region in comparison to any other country or region in Europe with Spain adapting to their new neighbours with even having films in English at the cinemas accompanied with a whole host of amenities in English that help the British and northern Europeans feel at home.