Attracting nearly 60 million tourists a year, Spain is one of the world´s top holiday destinations. The Costa del Sol remains a firm favourite for thousands of tourists who come back year after year.  Even in these days of recession and credit crunch, visitors continue to flock to Andalucia.

Tourism accounts for 30% of Andalucia´s gross regional product, and most visitors come from the UK and Ireland.  National budgets are set aside each year by the Spanish government to improve facilities and amenities for visitors.  The annual cost of these improvements is said to be in the region of €40 billion per year.

Spain´s fabulous climate, history, culture and beaches are the main crowd-pullers. Andalucia has 320 average days of sunshine per year, and some of the best golf courses in Europe to attract sports fans.  Over 14 million visitors from the UK and Ireland visit Spain´s shores every year, and many of these come to Andalucia and the Costa del Sol.

For the first six months of 2008, the conclusions of the Spanish Economic Analysts report confirmed optimistic forecasts  by the Tourist Board. Figures showed that the province of Malaga had increased its hotel occupancy rate by 6.7 per cent over this six-month period, in relation to the same period the previous year.  This increase meant a total of 2.4 million tourists stayed in hotels in the province, which was 150,000 more than the previous year. This number resulted in approximately eight million overnight stays, which is 5.5 per cent more than the previous year. In absolute terms, this meant almost half a million more overnight stays in Malaga hotels

The beauty of Andalucia is its diversity.  From rolling hills and mountain ranges in Granada, to the beautiful, white sandy beaches of Marbella and Puerto Banus, Andalucia has something for everyone.  The Costa del Sol is a perfect holiday destination for families, individuals and groups who want to unwind, relax and soak up the sun or enjoy some of the best sporting facilities in Europe.

Luxury hotels, affordable family rentals and cheap ´hostals´ make Spain, and particularly Andalucia, the perfect holiday destination.  Malaga is the unofficial capital of Andalucia, and is situated on the Mediterranean coast.  One of 8 regional capitals of the province, Malaga is the biggest coastal city in southern Spain with a population of over 1.1 million people.  The city is easily accessible by air and sea, and is a popular stop off for cruise ships.

With a near perfect climate, olives, lemons, oranges and avocados are grown in abundance in Andalucia and Jaén is the biggest producer of olive oil in the world.  If you want to discover rural Spain, there is no better place to start than Granada and the Alpujarra.  This beautiful region is a million miles away from the hustle and bustle of the Costa del Sol and all of its attractions, and is an ideal holiday destination for lovers of the countryside.  The Sierra Nevada Mountain Range is also situated in Granada and provides ski enthusiasts with some of the best slopes in Spain. The ski season usually stretches between November and March.

Seville is an amazing region.  Split into two by the Guadalquivir River, this vibrant city is home to one of the world´s largest cathedrals, El Catedral de Santa Maria de la Sede, and visitors to Seville can also enjoy some of the finest tapas in Andalucia.  Explore the city on foot or take a trip by horse and carriage to get a guided tour of Seville.  You can also get some great hotel deals – particularly if you go in the summer.  If you like it hot, Seville in the summer is the place to be with temperatures often soaring to 40 degrees in July and August.  Seville is all things Spanish with some modern twists – the perfect city for travellers wanting a real taste of Spain.

The sun and beaches continue to attract foreign tourists to Spain. In the first 6 months of 2008 the number of foreign tourists visiting Spain went up by 2.6% to 26.6 million compared to figures for the same period the previous year. Arriving by air continued to be the most popular form of travel in 2008 with 20.9 million tourists flying into Spain´s airports (78.5% of the total) an increase of 2.8%. The preferred type of accommodation continues to be hotels (65.9% of the total) which is an increase of 3.8% while the number of people not staying hotels remained the same in 2008 as 2007 – 8.8 million.

Catalonia is the most popular destination for foreign tourists often attracts more than 6.6 million tourists over a six month period, which accounts for 24.8% of the total. The Canary Islands usually receives 4.7 million tourists over the same period (15.6% of the total). Andalucia attracts 3.7 million foreign tourists (14.1% of the total). The Comunidad Valenciana received 2.6 million foreign tourists (10.1% of the total) and the Comiunidad de Madrid receives 2.3 million foreign tourists (8.7% of the total).

A recent survey showed that 7.3 million UK holiday makers come to Spain every six months. (27.5% of the total).Germany is in second place with 4.7 million of its citizens visiting Spain during the last 6 months of last year which is 2.8% more than for the same period last year. French visitors number 3.6 million and Italians visiting Spain number 1.5 million for the same period.

Out of all the foreign tourists visiting Spain last year between January and June, 18.4 million tourists visited independently (7% more than for the same period last year) and the number of tourists visiting Spain who were not on package tours continued to decrease. In fact the number of tourists coming on package tours went down by 6.8% during this period.

Some of Spain´s best beaches can be found on the Costa del Sol.  Marbella and Puerto Banus boast some of the most amazing stretches of white, sandy beaches and crystal clear water.  Puerto Cabopino Beach and Golden Beach at Elviria are also well worth visiting, and offer a range of water sports including water skiing, paragliding, kite-surfing and wind-surfing.  For the less adventurous, you can hire a sunbed and parasol and soak up the sun in style.  Beach bars to look out for are El Lido at Golden Beach, Andy´s Beach Bar at Puerto Cabopino, Charlie´s, close to Costabella and the fabulous Hippo Beach and Los Cano at Alicate Playa.  Puerto Banus is a glitzy, glamorous resort which comes alive at night.  Many clubs open until the early hours of the next day, and it´s not unusual in summer for revellers to dance till dawn. After a hard night´s partying, you can relax at one of Puerto Banus´s famous beach clubs.  The Ocean Club, Marbella is one of Europe´s biggest beach venues, and enjoys a prime location situated in the middle of Puerto Banus.  With 9,000 m2 of space, the club includes giant white leather beds, a funky restaurant which seats more than 300 people, designer shops and a massage centre, plus a beauty centre and art gallery.  Just 350 metres from the beach, visitors can choose to swim in the sea or take advantage of the large swimming pool situated in the centre of the club´s grounds.  Seafood, including fresh crabs and lobster, plus sushi and a large selection of great salads are a speciality at the Ocean Club.  Fabulous cocktail and wine list available. Classical French cuisine fuses with Belgian and Mediterranean dishes to make for some delicious lunch and dinner options.

For some great family fun and entertainment, Benalmadena, Fuengirola and Torremolinos are three of the most popular package tour resorts on the Costa del Sol.  With budget hotels and all inclusive hotel packages, you are sure to find some bargains on the eastern end of the Costa del Sol.  If you are looking for self-catering accommodation, there are a wealth of apartments available to rent by the week or by the month.  Prices obviously rise in July and August, but you can still find some reasonably cheap accommodation close to the beach.  Torremolinos boasts some of the best seafood and fish restaurants on the coast, and you will be spoilt for choice when it comes to fun bars, discos, clubs and family entertainment.

You can find three course set menus at many of Torremolinos´s Spanish bars, which start from as low as €7 per person.  The food is fresh and enjoyable and you may even be treated to some traditional Spanish paella for an incredible price.  Wine or drinks are also often included , and the menu del dia is a great way to try local dishes at an amazingly low price.

If you are looking for something a little more luxurious, you can choose from some of Andalucia´s most stunning holiday rental properties in Marbella and Puerto Banus.   Villas with private pools, saunas, Jacuzzis and tennis courts are all available at a price.  The most exclusive area to rent a holiday villa is probably on the Golden Mile, between Marbella and Puerto Banus.  This is where real estate fetches the highest prices, and you can rub shoulders with the celebrities.

Estepona is a quieter resort on the west end of the Costa del Sol, and retains a very Spanish feel.  Whitewashed houses sit beside attractive hotels and guest houses.  The Marina area is where the fun starts.  Beachside and portside cafés serve fabulous breakfasts, lunches and dinner to holidaymakers, and this is where the top nightspots are situated.

Whether you want to explore the inland areas of Andalucia, such as the Alpujarras, Ronda, Cartama, Antequera or Alhaurin el Grande, you are never too far from the sea.  Tranquil settings and beautiful countryside contrasts sharply with the madness of the coast during summer, but you will not be disappointed with the wide range of things to do in Andalucia.  Skiing, sunbathing, swimming, kite-surfiing, hiking, walking and golfing are some of the top ten things to do on the Costa del Sol. You are almost guaranteed sunshine for over 300 days of the year, and Spain´s golden coast seems to go from strength to strength.

Many budget airlines now operate from the UK and Ireland, and you can fly to Malaga, Granada or Sevilla for only a fraction of the price you would have paid ten years ago.  Flight time from the UK is approx. 2 hrs and 30 mins, depending which airport you are flying from.  Ryanair, Easyjet and BMI Baby all offer great deals for flights to Malaga, and it is worth booking well in advance to take advantage of their special offers.