Holidays to the Spanish island of Gran Canaria increased by over 10 per cent last year, according to Aena, one of the largest air navigation services in Europe. Last year, nearly 10.5 million visitors flocked to the island for a sun-drenched holiday.

This growth in tourism is expected to continue throughout 2012 as there has already been a 10 per cent increase in bookings for next winter as people plan to get away from the cold before Christmas. The appeal of the island has been credited to much more than the weather: on September 27th 2012, the Maspalomas beach on Gran Canaria will host World Tourism Day, as selected by the World Tourism Organisation.

This is the first time that Spain has hosted the event, making it an honour not only for Gran Canaria but also for the rest of Spain. President of the Cabildo de Gran Canaria, Bravo de Laguna, said that the celebration will “enable Maspalomas to be known in all corners of the planet”.

The Canary Islands are blessed with hot temperatures throughout the year and prices are always affordable, making it a great place to visit, or live.

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