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Spain seems to have staged a recovery after suffering a slump in tourist numbers.

Figures recently released by the tourism ministry show that in July, arrivals rose by 4.5 per cent – the third consecutive month of increase. Seven million visitors went to Spain or its islands.

Spain is consistently ranked among the world’s top three tourist destinations — both by arrivals and income earned — along with France and the U.S.

Britons have always been the largest group travelling there, but the recession and the weakness of the pound have seen more and more of them staying at home – the so-called ‘staycationers’.

But it seems another disappointing summer and the gradual strengthening of the pound have inspired the beginnings of a return to the sun-kissed beaches and cultural attractions offered by Spain. Aggressive cost-cutting by tour operators of up to 40 per cent has also helped to turn the tide.

by Andy Moreton

Whether soaking up the sun on the beach or the culture in the city, Luxique has an unrivalled selection of luxury hotels in Spain.

Bullfighting has been banned by the parliament in one region of Spain.

Catalonia, an area in the north-east of the country with a strong separatist movement, has become the first part of the country’s mainland to outlaw the centuries-old tradition. It’s been banned in the Canary Islands for some years.

The ban, which will come into force in 2012, has been actively sought by animal rights activists, who want it extended across the whole country. Some have confronted matadors inside the ring or staged naked demonstrations.

Alessandro Zara, from the Spanish animal rights group Equanimal, said a worldwide ban would one day be a reality. “We will see it in our lifetime. One community after another will accept that bullfights are barbaric and have no place in a modern and ethical society,” he said.

However, some Spaniards see the vote as having more to do with Catalonia’s drive to reduce Madrid’s political influence than with the protection of animals.

The number of bullfights across Spain has dropped by a third in recent years, mainly because of the budget constraints of local governments, which often fund the spectacles. In Catalonia, there are now just over a dozen fights a year and the Monumental bullring in Barcelona is about the only place in the region that still stages them.

by Andy Moreton

Luxique offers a selection of luxury hotels in Barcelona and  throughout Spain – city and seaside.

A holiday resort in Spain has brought in measures to try to repair its image after becoming a haven for drunken British tourists.

Salou, on the Costa Dorada south of Barcelona, is threatening fines of up to £250 for people going around the streets in bikinis or with bare chests. Swimwear is being banned from all but beachfront bars and restaurants, and those caught drinking alcohol on the streets or having sex on the beach could be prosecuted.

More than 5,000 British students aged between 18 and 23 crowded into the town over Easter to attend the ‘Saloufest’, an annual party organised by university sports clubs. Locals complained about drunken behaviour.

“We want to ensure that Salou has a good image,” said the Mayor, Pere Granados, explaining the new measures. Alberto del Hierro, Councillor for Tourism in Salou, added: “One shouldn’t be allowed to walk the streets or enter public buildings in unseemly apparel. It gives the city a low-class look.”

The Daily Telegraph’s Madrid correspondent, Fiona Govan, says the bikini ban signals a growing unease in Spain against those sunburned northern European tourists who offend the local population by walking in the streets, dining in restaurants and even doing their shopping in little more than beachwear.

Earlier this year, I reported that the regional capital, Barcelona, had stopped short of introducing a similar ban but had embarked on a campaign urging tourists to dress appropriately when away from the beach.

by Andy Moreton

Whether soaking up the sun on the beach or the culture in the city, Luxique has an unrivalled selection of luxury hotels in Barcelona and many other parts of Spain.

Holidaymakers on an airliner in Menorca were expecting a lengthy wait when they were told there was a technical problem and an engineer would have to be flown in from the UK.

But a passenger came forward, identified himself as a qualified aircraft engineer and repaired the fault. As a result, the flight touched down in Glasgow only 35 minutes behind schedule.

A spokeswoman for the carrier, Thomas Cook, said the company had followed strict procedures to make sure the man had been qualified to work on the airliner, a Boeing 757-200. He was actually employed by another airline, Thomsonfly, which has a reciprocal maintenance agreement with Thomas Cook.

One of the holidaymakers, Keith Lomax, said that when the man came back on board after his unscheduled work-shift, there was a round of applause. “It was reassuring to know the person who had fixed it was still on the aeroplane,” he added.

by Andy Moreton

Menorca is a charming holiday spot, the middle-sized island of the Spanish Balearics that also include Majorca and Ibiza. If you’re thinking of a sunshine break, try the quaint and historic Hotel Rural Biniarroca, bookable through Luxique.

Any tourist will know that the siesta is an essential part of Spanish life.

Shops used to close between 2 and 4pm and stay open late into the evening, although this arrangement has become less common because of commercial considerations and work/life balance.

The city of Granada, however, is determined to protect the afternoon nap and has introduced regulations to ensure its residents are undisturbed.

The London Daily Telegraph’s correspondent in Spain, Fiona Govan, reports that a new by-law, approved this week, means that anyone making what’s called ‘unnecessary noise’ in Granada between 3 and 5pm could be fined up to 3,000 euros (£2,640 / $4,100).

Noisy activity includes shouting, singing, dancing or slamming a door. Pets, vacuum cleaners and washing machines will have to be silenced.

Other people now facing fines include those spitting or urinating in the street, beggars, buskers, car windscreen cleaners and gypsies offering tourists sprigs of herbs or wild flowers.

The new regulations have been branded ‘restrictive’ and ‘impossible to enforce’ by some, but the authorities insist they will make it easier to deal with complaints between neighbours.

by Andy Moreton

The city of Granada in Andalucia is home to one of Spain’s most visited tourist attractions – the Moorish citadel and palace known as the Alhambra. For your stay in this historic city, Luxique has carefully selected six superb luxury hotels in Granada with a variety of styles.

The Spanish Canary Islands are trying to revive their flagging tourism industry by showing people how to be more welcoming to visitors.

Taxi drivers, hotel receptionists and shop owners will be offered ‘friendliness seminars,’ where they’ll be taught the importance of smiling and given a smattering of English phrases to demonstrate that the tourist’s custom is appreciated.

Spain – including the Canaries – has been a magnet for British holidaymakers for years, but a combination of the recession and the falling value of the pound against the euro has seen a sharp downturn. Some 200,000 fewer Britons went to Spain in February compared with the same month in 2008.

A spokesman at the Lanzarote Chamber of Commerce, which is running the £38,000 ($54,000) pilot scheme, said: “We’re aware that Spaniards are not seen as overly friendly by British holidaymakers and we want to change that grumpy image.”

Cab drivers will be reminded that they’re the first point of contact for visitors and should do their utmost to be welcoming. “Ensure your taxis smell nice – and don’t drive too fast,” is the message for them in the two-hour seminar.

If the initiative is successful, it will be extended to other holiday resorts throughout Spain. A spokesman for the marketing company behind the strategy said: “We have a good climate and great beaches and if tourists are made to feel welcome, they will come again and tell their friends to come too.”

by Andy Moreton, with Fiona Govan in Madrid

Luxique offers great rates at six top-class hotels in the Canary Islands – all with different styles, but luxurious facilities.

Travellers to Spain might find the air conditioning in their hotel room not as cool as it once was.

The country has announced an ambitious plan to cut energy consumption and save millions on oil imports. During the sweltering summers, air con systems in public buildings will be set no lower than 26C (79F). In winter, Spaniards will be allowed to turn their heating up to no more than 21C (70F), with hospitals the exception.

Perhaps the most significant of the measures is the intention to cut the speed limit to 50 mph. Others include handing out low-energy light bulbs, keeping the subway system open later at weekends to encourage people to leave the car at home and allowing commercial airlines to use military air routes to make journeys 20 per cent shorter. Street lighting is to be cut by up to 50 per cent.

The six-year energy plan was announced by the Industry Minister, Miguel Sebastian, who borrowed a phrase from President Kennedy: “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.”

by Andy Moreton