Choose Spain for your summer hols, UK media says

From Majorca to Marbella, Benidorm to Barcelona, Spain really does have it all.

According to various sections of the mainstream UK press, Brits are “flocking back” to “old favourite” Spain in their droves following a summer of turmoil in rival Mediterranean countries such as Greece, Tunisia and Egypt…

Ignoring recent data that confirmed Spain is the most popular holiday destination for Brits – and has been for many years – the Daily Telegraph and the Mirror newspapers both ran features at the weekend about how “The Costas” are shedding their outdated image and drawing thousands of new sun-seekers.

Their angles were the same – Greece’s financial turmoil, Tunisia’s and Egypt’s recent terrorist attacks, and Turkey’s close proximity to Iraq and Syria are serving to deter British holidaymakers from these destinations. Equally, both articles took on a slightly patronising tone of “If it has to be Spain, then at least the country has upped its game”. Which, again, is rather odd given that 15 million Brits visited Spain last year to enjoy everything it has to offer.

The Mirror article ran an interview with Travelsupermarket, in which Marketing Manager Bob Atkinson said: “A perfect storm of things elsewhere is making Spain seem like a safe value-for-money destination. It has a wide range of resorts and all-star ratings. It doesn’t matter if you’re rich or poor, if you want a cheap break or want to blow the budget, Spain has something for everybody.”

The Telegraph listed five reasons why Spain is once more the best option for sun-seeking Brits this summer, and did at least manage to accurately capture something of the essence that has always made Spain attractive.

Availability and choice is unrivalled, the article pointed out: Brits can fly to most corners of Spain from almost anywhere in the UK, and can choose from all manner of hotels, apartments, resorts and package deals.

Spain’s varied landscape and rich culture was also praised, with the Telegraph writing that the country has “some of the best and most unspoilt beaches in Europe”. Spain also suits everyone, and with the current strength of the pound sterling against the euro represents incredible value right now.

Finally, the fact that most parts of Spain are a mere two-hour flight away is also treated as a good reason to give the country a go this summer. Although neither article was groundbreaking in its coverage of Spain, both were – eventually – gushing in their praise of a country that, by simply reading these articles, one could be forgiven for thinking had disappeared from the face of the earth over the last few years.

Spain never went away. Neither did the tourists. Its enduring charm, appeal and beauty should not really be headline news, but the country will of course be more than happy to welcome many more holidaymakers with open arms.