Delta Air Lines has begun flying on a new route linking Malaga with New York’s John F Kennedy International Airport.

The first non-stop flight of the four times a week service touched down at Malaga last week, where passengers were greeted by a high-profile reception committee.

Among the dignitaries welcoming travellers were regional tourism councillor Luciano Alonso, US consul Roberta Aaron and Delta’s vice-chairman Frank Jahagin.

Authorities in Andalusia have spent more than €3 million (£2.4 billion) on promoting the service, in the hope of attracting more US visitors to the region.

Local media reports stated that 70 per cent of seats have already been booked for the first month of the service, prompting Delta to indicate that daily flights are a possibility.

Delta recently announced plans to upgrade the in-flight entertainment facilities on its aircraft. Among the choices it hopes to make available to passengers on an on-demand basis are video games, hundreds of films, music and HBO television shows.

One in five Scots would consider moving abroad to escape the credit crisis in the UK, a new YouGov poll has revealed.

Commissioned by Legal & General, the survey shows that 19 per cent of Scots would consider moving abroad to escape rising living costs, reports the Scotsman.

Earlier this week it was reported that consumer prices were running at three per cent, well above the government’s target of two per cent.

Tim Warren, wealth communications director at L&G, told the paper: “In the current financial climate it’s prudent for people to tighten their belts.

“But it is still startling that so many Scots would be prepared to leave the country.”

It is possible that many Scots would consider moving to Spain, which already has a strong expatriate community.

According to the Office for National Statistics, the price of food, electricity and gas is responsible for pushing up inflation.

Holidaymakers are increasingly booking their trips to Spain on the internet, new research has found.

According to Google Spain’s travel division, 31 per cent of all holidays in the country during the year to date have been booked online.

Javier Gonzalez-Soria, head of the organisation, said this figure is expected to increase over the next few years as more people embrace the internet as a means of purchasing goods and services.

He said the growth of the web has “radically changed” the behaviour of travel consumers in the last decade.

This was largely attributed to the fact that leading tourist destinations such as Spain have taken full advantage of the opportunities this medium has to offer.

For example, the country was praised for using online advertising and making itself visible on search engines.

This comes after online travel agency Freedom Direct revealed that the strong euro has not impacted on the number of bookings for Spain.

The fundamental factors which support a foreign property investment can be found in Spain, experts have stated.

According to ShelterOffshore.com, overseas property investors need their chosen market to meet certain criteria, such as being accessible and offering a modern infrastructure.

The online portal said this can easily be found in Spain, along with attractions such as the Mediterranean coastline and its good climate.

ShelterOffshore.com said; “There are genuine, fundamental, undeniable and unshakeable reasons why people want to holiday in Spain.”

The website added that the country is also a very familiar and established destination for people in the UK.

This could be an important issue for prospective buyers, as ShelterOffshore.com said they should consider whether a resort has the longevity to make it a sustainable investment.

According to figures from Holiday-Rentals, about one in three British-owned holiday homes in Europe are located in Spain.

Consumers in Scotland are not allowing the global economic downturn to put them off their holidays, it has been revealed.

According to the Daily Record, holiday firm Barrhead Travel has seen an eight per cent increase in the number of bookings this year.

Bill Munro, spokesperson for Barrhead Travel, said that established European destinations have been especially popular, even though the pound is currently much weaker than the euro.

He commented: “Some are shying away from Euroland and going to countries based on price, but many know that for quality Spain is still number one.”

Speaking to the newspaper, Mr Munro added that Spain is still cheaper than the UK “by far”.

This backs up recent comments from the Post Office, which said Spain is currently the cheapest country in the eurozone.

A golf fan from Scotland has spoken highly of the facilities on offer in Spain’s Costa Blanca.

Alan White, from Port Seton in East Lothian, said lovers of the sport can enjoy the game on numerous courses in the region.

Speaking to Sunday Mail, he revealed that he likes it so much that he has chosen to purchase a property in the area.

Mr White told the newspaper that by dividing his time between the UK and Spain, he will be able to indulge his passion for the sport.

He commented: “It’s perfect for a golfer like me but it’s also great for all my family because we’re very close to some great shopping centres and restaurants.”

Mr White added that buying a holiday home in Costa Blanca is the “best move we’ve ever made”.

This comes after David Brice of Golf International told PGATour.com that a growing number of American golf fans are choosing to visit the Spanish Costas.

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.

With Panoramica golf course as a backdrop, the first Bancaja habitat agents convention took place at the end of April.

This was a unique opportunity to enhance and consolidate our relationship with our network of partners.