A company offering personalised tours around Seville is ensuring that each visitor to the Andalucian capital enjoys a unique experience.

Writing in the Independent on Sunday, Adrian Mourby describes his encounter with Really Discover, a new walking tour service set up by Seville native Luis Salas and his British business partner David Cox.

Charging €25 (£18) for two and a half hours, Really Discover is different from other tour guides in that customers can make precise requests on what they would like to see, while Mr Salas runs his tour each day no matter how many people are present.

Of course, Seville has plenty of interesting sights, with the 18th century Fabrica de Tabacos - Spain’s second largest building - the Plaza de Toros de la Maestranza and various sites made famous in Bizet’s opera Carmen all mentioned by Mr Mourby.

The bullring is one the oldest in the country and is described as “dazzling” by the journalist, with statues of famous matadors lined up outside to remind visitors of Spain’s proud tradition.

Next month will see the launch of new high-speed AVE rail service between Malaga and Seville, enabling people to travel from the Costa del Sol to the heart of Andalucia in just one hour and 55 minutes.

Journey times between Malaga and Seville will be significantly reduced by the launch of a new high-speed rail service in February, it has been announced.

Spanish development minister Magdalena Alvarez revealed that the new AVE train will cut the trip from its current time of two hours and 30 minutes to just one hour and 55 minutes, Typically Spanish reports.

The improved journey time will provide Costa del Sol homeowners with easy access to one of Europe’s most vibrant cities, while people living in Seville can travel down to the south coast for a leisurely weekend or mid-week break.

According to the news provider, there will be a daily service of six trains running in each direction. The train currently travels via Cordoba, although a direct connection will be introduced at a later date.

The growth of the AVE train network has seen transport links in Spain improve “by leaps and bounds”, according to the European Rail Guide website, which praises the service’s “excellent customer service, punctuality and easy to understand fares”.

A growing number of European people are choosing to access southern Spain by flying to Malaga, according to new figures.

Data released by the Spanish airports authority Aena shows that overall passenger numbers at the Costa del Sol hub increased by 3.9 per cent last year, with the largest number of arrivals coming from the UK.

This means that over 13.5 million passengers flew to Malaga in 2007, with the airport serving more than 2.5 million British travellers over the course of the year, Typically Spanish reports.

According to the figures, an increasing number of German, French and Irish passengers also entered Spain through Malaga Airport during 2007.

Last week, the website reported that work on a new road to relive traffic congestion around the airport has begun in Malaga. The €36 million (£26.74 million) project is expected to take two years to complete but will significantly improve access for travellers as the airport continues to increase in popularity.

The tourism industry continues to thrive in Spain, with recent figures predicting a significant increase in visitors to the country during 2008.

A report by industry association Exceltur forecasts a growth of 1.8 per cent in the number of people choosing Spain as a holiday destination this year, taking the total number of overseas arrivals to 60.7 million.

The healthy Spanish tourism market is currently sustained by two main trends, Homes Worldwide reports - the growing interest in “urban tourism” among holidaymakers and the enduring popularity of winter sunshine breaks in southern areas of Spain, particularly among British people.

According to the website, many people are now interested in short ‘city breaks’, which makes Spain’s cosmopolitan cities such as Sevilla and Valencia an appealing prospect, while others continue to head to the Costa del Sol and Costa Blanca for a more relaxing seaside holiday.

Travel Republic has reported a huge increase in bookings for Spanish holidays after Christmas, as the wet UK weather and increased availability of cheap flights draws more people to the Iberian peninsula.

Low-cost airline Ryanair recently launched a new service to Malaga from Bournemouth Airport.

The Costa del Sol could be set to receive a larger number of Irish visitors this year, after one the country’s major airlines announced details of a new flight to Malaga.

As part of its expansion into Europe, Aer Arann will offer a twice-weekly service to the southern Spanish airport, flying from its base on the west coast at Galway and also the airport at Waterford, located in the south-east of the country.

Primarily a provider of domestic and regional flights, Aer Arann is beginning to offer European routes as the result of a franchise deal with Nex Aviation. The new flights will be available from May 1st.

Managing director of Aer Arann Gary Cullen said that the new service will “provide greater choice and easier access to continental Europe for our customers in the west and south-east of Ireland”.

A 100-seater aircraft will be used for the Malaga route, with flights currently priced at €90 (£68).

Ryanair, another Irish carrier, recently announced details of new flights to Malaga and Murcia from Bournemouth Airport on the south coast of England.

Figures from the latest census in Spain have revealed that the population of Malaga province is expanding rapidly, with a growing number of people attracted to life in the area.

According to Homes Worldwide, over one and a half million people were registered as living in Malaga at the start of 2007, with an additional 26,236 joining the census by the beginning of 2008.

Malaga city has acquired 619 new inhabitants since the last survey, with 37 per cent of the province’s population now residing in the coastal resort.

The small mountain town of Macharaviaya was found to be the fastest-expanding area, however, with 111 new residents meaning a growth rate of 22.3 per cent.

In addition, the towns of Salares and Benahavis saw population increases of 16.2 per cent and 12 per cent respectively, southern Spanish newspaper Sur reports.

Homes Worldwide stated that the influx of people to the city of Malaga and its surrounding areas is a result of “great infrastructure and facilities”, with the city recently benefiting from the new high-speed rail link with Madrid and more transport improvements planned for the near future.

A Spanish news provider has claimed that Malaga’s tourism industry is set to enjoy a large boost as a result of two major new transport developments.

While already one of the Costa del Sol’s busiest tourist centres due to its airport, Malaga is now equipped to welcome travellers of other kinds thanks to its new high-speed rail link and maritime station, Sur reports.

Launched at the end of December, the AVE rail service provides a high-speed connection between Malaga and the Spanish capital Madrid, cutting the journey time from over four hours to just two hours 30 minutes.

The speed of the new train, which can reach 350 kilometres per hour, is “dizzyingly impressive” according to Sur, with the AVE described by the newspaper as “a train which the tourism industry can’t afford to miss”.

In addition, the recently inaugurated maritime station will bring more visitors to Malaga by providing a place for cruise ships and other boats to dock. Sur predicts that travel companies will begin to “see the capital of the Costa del Sol as a starting and finishing point for new cruise itineraries”.

“All the statistical forecasts predict that these two new elements of infrastructure will greatly increase the numbers of visitors,” the newspaper concludes.

Costa del Sol property seekers with an eye for culture could be given a new incentive to invest in the Malaga area, with local authorities giving the green light for a large scale museum development in the area.

Local urban planning authorities (Gerencia Municipal de Urbanismo) have approved plans for an old tobacco factory to be converted into museum space – with grand plans set to be carried out by 2009.

Plans now envisage completion of an automobile museum, and an Art Natura museum on the site by mid 2009, which would add to the region’s cultural appeal and provide even more reasons for people to visit Malaga.

Antique cars would feature in the first museum for completion, it was claimed, while the Art Natura project, likely to contain sculptures, precious stones and much to discover about the world of rocks and minerals, would take longer to complete.

The Malaga province is already a favourite for its stunning beaches, winter skiing not far off in the Sierra Nevada, and top range property – with local authorities now hoping that the tobacco factory renovation will add cultural appeal to Malaga’s perks.