The poor weather which has hit parts of southern Europe is set to subside at the end of the week.

Countries such as Spain are likely to experience a heatwave from Friday onwards, with temperatures hovering around the seasonal average.

Indeed, Angel Rivera of the Spanish Meteorological Office believes temperature levels should go up “considerably” this weekend, reports the Typically Spanish website.

He said the mercury is likely to rise to about 40 degrees C in some parts of the country, such as Valencia and the Costa del Sol.

This could be good news for British holidaymakers who are looking to escape from the miserable conditions in some parts of the UK.

Earlier this week, Jonathan Powell of Positive Weather Solutions suggested that people who want some guaranteed sunshine in Europe should visit Spain.

However, he reminded people to be aware the heat may become more intense further south.

Marbella has been chosen as the venue for a new international business conference.

The first Marbella-Costa del Sol International Economic and Business Forum will take place in the city early next year and it is anticipated the event will attract a wide range of high-ranking executives.

Organisers UHY Fay & Co, the accountancy firm, have indicated that those who attend the forum will have the chance to participate in discussion groups with leading economists, as well as listening to speeches from international business experts.

Joseph Fay, a partner and tax specialist with the firm, said that Marbella was the obvious choice to host the event.

He explained: “[Marbella] is an attractive and international city with influence to get media coverage and a very high potential to become an economic reference and knowledge hub at a national and international level.”

Among the other trade events the city is scheduled to host is International Golf Travel Market, which takes place between November 17th and 20th 2008.

Authorities in the Costa del Sol have outlined plans to integrate foreign nationals into the local community.

According to the Typically Spanish website, a new programme has been set up by Marbella Town Hall to improve community relations.

The resort in the Costa del Sol is currently a highly popular destination for expatriates from other countries.

However, local authorities believe that more could be done to bring them closer together with the existing population.

Tourism councillor Jose Luis Hernandez said the council is organising a series of summer activities designed to build relations between the various nationalities.

People from 136 different countries currently reside in Marbella on a permanent basis.

This comes after a study by the Andalucian Statistics Institute concluded that residents of Marbella are currently enjoying a very high quality of life.

Commenting on the study, Homes Worldwide said the findings are not very surprising, as its popularity with wealthy expats demonstrates its desirability.

Interest in the top end of the Costa del Sol’s housing market is still very high, according to an expert.

Barbara Wood from The Property Finders said that affluent property buyers are still keen to snap up a residence in the region.

Speaking to the Times, she revealed that houses that are valued at about £624,000 or above are in high demand because they are in short supply.

This means that the slump which has hit many cheaper houses in the Costa del Sol is not affecting the market as a whole.

Ms Wood commented: “Every client I’ve had this year has had little need for finance.

“They have been watching the market and they are deciding it’s time to start looking in earnest.”

She added that while investors will not get “vast sums” knocked off the asking price of a property, they will not have to compromise on any other requirements.

This, she said, would be “crucial” for top-end buyers.

The Telegraph recently described the Costa del Sol as a “hugely popular location” for British property buyers.

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.

The main attraction of the Costa del Sol may be the coastline promised in its name, but many picturesque inland towns in the Malaga province are becoming popular with British property seekers, it has been claimed.

Andalusian news site Sur claimed that small inland towns like Antequera were becoming targets for overseas property seekers, with big influxes changing the complexion of the area.

It was claimed that the non-Spanish population of the town had grown from only 198 in 2001 to 2,300 in the present day, signalling a huge rise in foreign interest for a town with a total population not much over 40,000.

The new multicultural Antequera was said to boast as many as 61 different nationalities, reflecting the vibrant diversity of the Costa del Sol itself and its many foreign residents.

But while Brits are infamous for snapping up beach-side properties on the Costa, the inland spot saw only 247 UK property investors to date, with 740 Brazilians topping the foreign list and taking to Antequera in greatest number.

Latest estimates, however, claim that as many as 750,000 Brits are now resident in Spain, largely in the Costa del Sol and Costa Blanca areas of the southern coast.

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.

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.

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.”

Overseas property investors could be set to benefit from new opportunities in Spain, it has been revealed.

According to a study by estate agency Engel & Volkers, Malaga is currently seeing high levels of investment by local authorities and developers, reports Homes Worldwide.

Money is being pumped into a number of projects across the region, including the creation of new facilities and buildings.

Furthermore, new jobs are also being created due to the recent influx of international businesses.

This has resulted in positive economic growth across Malaga and the Costa Sol, thereby enhancing its appeal to foreign property buyers.

Commenting on the state of the market, Engel & Volkers said it currently offers plenty of potential for property buyers.

This comes after Homes Worldwide stated that the Spanish Costas are currently benefiting from the so-called “Ryanair Effect”, which means that areas serviced by low-cost airlines tend to have relatively high rates of house price inflation.