Provisional government statistics released in January showed that the number of foreign visitors to Spain rose for the second year in a row during 2011, helped by a surge in tourists from the UK, its largest market. Spain welcomed 56.9 million foreign tourists last year, an 8.1% increase over 2010, Tourism Minister Jose Manuel Soria told a news conference.

The UK accounted for the biggest jump in arrivals, with the number of visitors from the country up 9.1%. The number of arrivals from Germany, the second most important source of tourists to Spain, rose 3.0% last year.

This is extremely good news for the Spanish economy but also for homeowners who want to let out their property during the summer months or longer. People planning to buy a property in Spain with a view to renting it out should be greatly encouraged as the prospects for 2012 are looking good according to the Ministry of Tourism.

“Spain has always been a popular choice for holidays, but since so many countries in the world are currently suffering from unrest, violence or natural disaster, Spain is an even better holiday location”, said a spokesman. Spain is the world’s fourth most-visited country, after France, the United States and China, according to the United Nations World Tourism Organisation.

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