The strength of the euro against the pound is not putting British holidaymakers off visiting Spain, it has been revealed.

Online travel agency Freedom Direct stated that in recent months, there has been no difference in the number of bookings for the European country.

According to the company, holidaymakers are becoming very good at finding the best deals, as many have snapped up bargain holidays in places such as the Spanish Costas.

Nick Jackson, spokesperson for Freedom Direct, said the findings show

 that economic concerns are not affecting people’s holiday decisions.

He commented: “Holidays in Spain are the unbeatable favourite for families in the summer time.”

Mr Jackson added that the number of Britons who are heading abroad will go up again this year, despite the current problems in the global economy.

This comes after Leeds Bradford International Airport announced that Thomas Cook Airlines will begin providing extra flights to Spain later this year.

Expatriates in the UK are not moving to countries such as Spain just to enjoy its sunshine, new research has revealed.

According to Robinsons International, a number of factors have left Britons extremely disenchanted with life at home, so much so that a record number are now moving overseas.

The study showed that issues such as the growing population of the UK, loutish behaviour and the high cost of living have prompted many to look at living abroad.

Figures also revealed that some Britons intend to leave because they are unhappy with current government policies.

Commenting on the findings, Anthony Robinson of Robinsons International said: “It’s perhaps not surprising that so many people are looking for the better standard of living offered by other countries.”

This comes after ShelterOffshore.com revealed that Spain is still one of the most popular foreign locations for British retirees.

The website partly attributed this to its good climate, as it offers much warmer and sunnier conditions than the UK.

The Costa del Sol has seen a high number of visitors in recent days which bodes well for the summer season, say tourist chiefs.

According to the Association of Hoteliers on the Costa, there was a strong demand for hotel rooms over the May bank holiday.

Hoteliers said high occupancy levels offset a poor performance at Easter. Brisk business was also recorded in inland areas like Ronda and Antequera, reports TypicallySpanish.com.

The Association of Hoteliers on the Cost’s website offers thousands of pages of information, with links to over 300 hotels and more than 12,000 hotel room.

It claims to offer the largest variety of certified Costa Rican hotels available on the internet, including bed & breakfasts, luxury hotels, mountain lodges and beach resorts.

Sevilla - the capital of Andalusia - is one of the great historic centres in Europe, it has been stated.

Celia Ferro, writing for travel portal ThinkSpain.com, highlighted attractions including the city’s 15th century cathedral, which is one of the largest medieval and Gothic cathedrals in Europe.

She also said the Plaza de Espana in the Parque de Maria Luisa is worth a visit – not only because it is one of the best plazas in the world but because appears in Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones and in Lawrence of Arabia.

Ms Ferro added that Sevilla has numerous bridges that cross the channel of the plaza, which took 15 years to build in the early decades of the 20th century. It is fashioned out of red brick, local tiles and marble.

Finally, she said the quantity of tapas that can be had in Seville is “incalculable”, with many of the dishes fish-based. High-quality wines and beers can also be found.

Sevilla lies on the banks of the Guadalquivir and, according to legend, was founded by Hercules.

Older people from the UK are increasingly choosing to relocate to Spain, experts have stated.

According to ShelterOffshore.com, the European country is still one of the most popular foreign locations for British retirees.

The website partly attributed this to its good climate, as it offers much warmer and sunnier conditions than the UK.

However, Spain was also praised for offering a relaxed lifestyle that is highly conducive to enjoying a leisurely retirement.

ShelterOffshore.com added that all this can be achieved at an affordable price, as the cost of living is much lower than in the UK.

The website commented: “It’s famed for its laidback lifestyle and relatively low cost of living, and what’s more, the weather truly is glorious for the majority of the year.”

This comes soon after the appeal of the country highlighted by the Association of International Property Professionals.

According to the body, Spanish towns and cities were the chosen destinations of more than a quarter of British property buyers last year.

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.

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.