Holidaymakers should take a travel guide with them when heading abroad, according to a publishing firm.

Travel specialist Footprint said leisure travellers could improve the quality of their trip if they take a "well-written" travel guide.

Andy Riddle, managing director of the company, said following the advice of an author who knows the country would act as a shortcut to the best experiences it has to offer.

Not carrying this information could, he stated, result in visitors missing out on many of its attractions.

Mr Riddle commented: "A good guide book is a great starting point for getting to understand a country and the choices you have when on the road."

He added that most guide books are written by authors who know their subject "inside out".

This, he said, "shines through" when people are using them while overseas.

Spain was recently named as the most popular destination for British families who are planning to head abroad this summer by MyChild.co.uk.

Traditional European destinations are still very popular with consumers going on a package holiday, a travel firm has revealed.

According to First Choice, trips to places such as Spain are still in very high demand among British consumers.

This is despite the emergence and growing appeal of long-haul destinations, such as several Central American countries.

A spokesperson for First Choice went on to highlight the benefits of going on a package holiday to Spain.

She commented: "The property they’re staying in has been audited for quality and safety, and their holiday is fully protected under the package travel directive."

The spokesperson added that customers can travel safely in the knowledge that staff are on hand to assist if they are needed.

According to data from the Spanish government, more than 59 million holidaymakers chose to visit the country last year.

Alicante has been named as one of the leading destinations for British holidaymakers this weekend.

According to the Independent, millions of people are set to travel abroad during the bank holiday period in order to get some "guaranteed sun".

The newspaper said that many are hoping to find this in established European destinations such as Spain, in particular Alicante.

A spokesperson for BAA told the publication that London-based airports are set to be particularly busy, with 187,000 flying out from Heathrow today.

More than a million people are set to pass through the terminals of Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted this weekend, she added.

This comes after low-cost airline easyJet revealed that its flights to Alicante have been in high demand.

The carrier stated that about 450,000 are set to board its flights during the bank holiday break weekend.

The Mayor of Marbella is forecasting a positive future for the region and its economy, it has been reported.

According to Homes Overseas, Angeles Munoz wants authorities in the area to take a more "consultative" approach with residents and businesses.

This, he stated, will ensure that future infrastructure upgrades work cohesively with existing facilities, thereby improving day-to-day life in the region.

Mr Munoz commented: "I am very optimistic about the economic future of the Costa del Sol.

"We will be providing support and welcoming with open arms the suggestions that the industry have for the region."

Speaking at the Leading Property Agents of Spain conference, he went on to acknowledge the recent problems in the market, such as the issue of oversupply in some areas.

He said greater consolidation would enable Marbella to recover from this "difficult period", although he welcomed the fact that it has maintained its brand "despite everything".

This comes after the Sur newspaper revealed that residents and political parties in the Costa del Sol have backed plans to build the proposed San Pedro Alcantara tunnel.

The Spanish Costas are set to be a major hotspot for holidaymakers from the UK this weekend, an airline has revealed.

According to budget carrier easyJet, about 450,000 are set to board its flights during the forthcoming bank holiday break.

The airline has stated that major resorts in Spain are among the most popular destinations, including Alicante and Malaga.

This is likely to be good news for tourist officials in the Costa del Sol and Costa Blanca, as well as people who are affiliated with the sector.

Commenting on Spain’s appeal, Marianne West of easyJet remarked: "It’s impossible to rely on the great British weather and let’s face it, sunshine and relaxation is far more appealing than DIY."

She added that a record number of people are now choosing to spend their bank holiday break overseas.

According to the Post Office, Spain currently offers lower prices than any other nation in the single European currency.

British consumers are not going to let growing economic uncertainty affect their summer holidays, according to a new survey.

A poll by Kayak.co.uk revealed that 60 per cent of people in the UK are not prepared to cancel or change their plans for their trip abroad this year.

This is despite the financial constraints that consumers are currently experiencing, such as increases in the cost of food and petrol.

Researchers found that instead of sacrificing their holiday altogether, people will instead be more frugal by cutting back on their spending while overseas.

Some added that they intend to save a few pennies by not taking as much luggage with them, as this could enable them to avoid excess baggage fees.

Commenting on the findings, Annie Wilson of Kayak.co.uk said: "Last summer was one of the wettest on record and it’s clear that sun-starved Brits value summer holidays far too highly to do without."

This comes after Spain was named as the most popular destination for British families who are planning to head abroad this summer by MyChild.co.uk.

Overseas property investors have been urged to take advantage of low prices in prime Spanish locations.

According to Property Showrooms, the European country currently has a number of good investment opportunities for foreign buyers.

This is despite the impact of the ongoing global financial crisis in the Spanish market, such as a drop in the rate of house price inflation.

While this may appear to be a negative development, industry figures insist that this is actually good news for prospective investors.

Danny Bance, managing director of Property Showrooms, commented: "Spain is now a great buyers’ market.

"Wise money is being spent by astute investors who can still make profits by seeking out exceptional opportunities."

He added that this year could a good time for "shrewd" property buyers to seek out "smart" and "timely" investments.

Meanwhile, Reuters has cited official figures showing that during the first quarter of 2008, house prices in Spain went up by 3.8 per cent.

People who are keen to invest in Spanish property are being encouraged to look at an area which was immortalised in a James Bond movie.

The legendary spy was played by Pierce Brosnan when he visited Costa del la Luz in 2002’s Die Another Day.

In fact, it was here that the famous scene with a bikini-clad Halle Berry was filmed, deliberately echoing a similar scene featuring Ursula Andress 40 years earlier.

Whereas the sequence in 1962’s Dr No was filmed in Jamaica, its modern-day equivalent was shot in Cadiz - the oldest city in Europe.

According to the Telegraph, this has helped bring “new-found glamour” to a region that has so far been largely overlooked by foreign property buyers.

The newspaper commented: “Locations that were considered exotically remote while Bond was causing mayhem in them now read like a list of overseas hotspots.”

The introduction of new flights to the Spanish Costas is pushing up house prices in the region, according to industry analysts.

Homes Worldwide stated that popular resorts such as the Costa Tropical are benefiting from the so-called “Ryanair Effect”, as it is now a convenient and affordable place to visist.

This was said to have helped boost both tourism and house prices, which in turn has made the Costas an attractive market for overseas property investors.

Commenting on current market conditions, the website said they contrast sharply with those in Spain as a whole.

The online portal added that properties within ten miles of an airport served by low-cost airlines tend to more valuable than those which are located further away.

Earlier this week, Jet2holidays.com highlighted the Spanish coastline as a very popular location for British tourists, in particular the Costa Dorada and Costa Brava.

A percentage of the thousands of passengers flying out of Southampton International Airport this coming Easter period will be heading for the Spanish regions of Alicante and Malaga, it has been reported.

The Daily Echo reports that an almost-record-breaking numbers of people will be using the southern hub, as they seek sunnier weather and a break from England.

Some 31,000 passengers are expected to pass through the terminals at Southampton, as they head to hotels, apartments and investment properties, among other accommodation, across Europe.

Earlier this month, budget airline easyJet released a statement saying that the two aforementioned Spanish locations were set to be popular with its customers during the Easter holiday period.

Popular tourist areas, such as Malaga and Alicante, are often seen by investors as ideal places to purchase property - due to the regular demand for accommodation.