Costa de la Luz: Exploring Spain’s best kept secret

by Charlotte Ashton Spain

West of Tarifa, facing the Atlantic lies the stunning Costa de la Luz, a region that comprises two main provinces in the Spanish expanse of Andalucía – Huelva and Cadiz – which unlike the more commercial tourist hotspots of the Costa Blanca or Costa del Sol, could be an altogether different country.

Away from the hustle and bustle of mass tourism and with equally good beaches and attractions but with a greater sense of tranquility blended with tradition and wrapped in history, the Costa de la Luz is suited to those who wish to sample the true authenticity of Spain.

Here you will find relatively unspoiled beaches that stretch for miles, welcoming locals, delicious food and fine wines and ample leisure activities. For instance, thanks to its close proximity, you can easily explore nearby Portugal or take a short 35 minute ferry trip over to Tangiers in Morocco.

However, the Costa de la Luz is especially noted for being a nature lover’s paradise with its natural reserves and a number of first-rate natural attractions such as the salt marshes of Barbate and the World Heritage Site of Doñana National Park which holds more than half of Europe´s species of birds including the endangered Spanish Imperial Eagle. Besides these advantages, there are also charming Roman and Moorish influenced Andalucian Mediterranean-style towns, each with their own unique qualities and landscapes.

Although growing in international popularity over the past few years, the Costa de la Luz or ‘Coast of Light’ is typically where you will find vacationing Spaniards and the more discerning, wealthy foreign visitor and is also a destination where property investors have focussed their attentions recently thanks to considerably lower property prices than in other parts of the country.

Nick Stuart, Managing Director of Spain’s first and premier internet estate agency, Spanish Hot Properties founded in 2007, explains,
 

“The Costa de la Luz is like the Caribbean of the Spanish property market and offers a totally different lifestyle for property owners especially for those who want to get back to real Spain. Certainly once you have visited the Costa de la Luz you will know immediately whether it is for you with the charm of the area effortlessly luring you to buy a property. This is the attraction of Costa de la Luz, hence why we are planning on opening a new office in Ayamonte in the Huelva province.

“Indeed, our biggest challenge is to make potential property buyers aware of the great alternatives the Costa de la Luz has to offer but at the same time explaining to potential customers that whilst property overall costs less than that in Costa del Sol, those looking for homes on the Costa de la Luz should not be driven by price but by the totally relaxed Spanish lifestyle on offer.”

With this in mind, Spanish Hot Properties has a beautiful development situated in the up and coming area of Huelva, which has escaped over-development from mass market hotels and low end touristic real estate, costing from just €270,000.

El Rompido, comprising luxurious villas and a low rise apartment blocks with one of the best views in Europe of the Atlantic is set in a very unspoiled location with the nearby golf courses attracting many northern Europeans that come for well-priced golf and beautiful pine tree fairways.

This “bolt hole” development is perfect for weekend and holiday stays and suitable for a very special kind of clientele that wish for a quieter, less intrusive lifestyle. Here you can stroll along the beaches and sit beneath the pines against the water without your privacy being invaded.

The villa is a four bedroom, three bathroom design with a vaulted lounge ceiling with a skylight window. For more information contact Spanish Hot Properties on 00 44 207 558 8355 or visit www.spanishhotproperties.com
 

With over 57,000 visitors within 24 hours, tourists finally awaken to the magical charm of Albania

by Charlotte Ashton Albania

The Balkan nation of Albania has seen 411,927 more tourists visiting the country between January and August this year than in the same period last year with the total number of tourists visiting Albania until August 8, 2011 standing at an impressive 2.15 million.

In addition, a record number of entry-exits were registered in border-crossing points all over the country with 57,255 people entering Albania within 24 hours on Monday the 8th August. The Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha stated in a meeting of the Council of Ministers last week that this trend turns tourism into one of the most important sectors of the Albanian economy.

But it’s not just incoming tourist numbers increasing. Indeed, the number of Albanians travelling abroad has also risen this year with around 347,000 having travelled overseas in Q1 2011 thanks to visa liberalisation.

As Albania slowly but surely places itself on the tourist map, the country has started to attract firm interest from foreign investors with foreign direct investment (FDI) in Albania exceeding the $1 billion mark last year according to the UNDP Resident Coordinator making the Balkan nation the second largest investment beneficiary in Southeast Europe after Serbia, and the only country in the region where investment has increased despite the global economic downturn.

Ravin Maharajah, Partner of Lalzit Bay Resort & Spa, the 5* luxury residential development located on Albania’s Adriatic coastline, comments,

“Albania is a distinctive emerging market one that investors can see potential in. There are vast monetary opportunities in Albania and investors want to take advantage of the growing tourist market, competitive business environment and of course the property development opportunities.

“We are proud that our 5* development lies within Albania and are delighted to be a part of its growth.  As tourism matures so does the interest in Lalzit Bay Resort & Spa development and it has become highly desired by domestic and international tourists and investors alike looking for properties away from the city close to warm sea waters and good old peace and quiet.” 

With ever rising tourist levels and plenty of foreign investment, Lalzit Bay is a very sensible choice for property investment costing from just €29,000 for a gorgeous studio apartment. The resort will provide outstanding on-site facilities including a beach club, tennis courts and a wide choice of delicious international cuisines available in the restaurants.

For more information contact Lalzit Bay Resort & Spa on 0845 125 8600 or visit www.lalzitbay.com
 

As rents rise to record highs, bricks and mortar seduces investors once more

by Charlotte Ashton United Kingdom

Motivated by a combination of factors including lower house prices, improving availability of mortgage finance and rising rents, it seems that good old bricks and mortar is seducing investors back into its arms once again.

Certainly, one of the biggest attractions resulting in increasing numbers of people investing in buy-to-let properties comes from the fact UK rents have reached new record highs with the latest rental price index from property portal Findaproperty.com stating that the average cost of renting a home in the UK rose by 2% in Q2 2011 reaching a staggering £867 a month by the end of June as demand from frustrated first time buyers struggling to get on the property ladder continues to bump up prices.

In response to the surge in demand for rental property, further data taken from the index shows a 9.7% increase in the number of properties being offered for rent in the three months to the end of June this year with the the increase taking the annual rise in rents to 4.4%.

Alan Forsyth, Director of highly respected buy-to-let experts, Property Secrets comments,

“Although not as easy as it was four years ago, investors are once again recognising that purchasing buy-to-let property in the UK can offer significant long term gains and with property prices having fallen to more affordable levels those who chose to invest for rental returns rather than capital growth certainly won’t be disappointed.”

Forsyth continues,

“And, even though London rents are at a jaw dropping high we believe that the North East of England offers the best of both worlds – a lucrative buy-to-let market that still provides a very healthy average rent of £582 a month according to the index but with very affordable purchase entry levels. You only have to look at our incredible offers in the North East area to understand why investing here makes sense.”

As the proud owner of 20 buy to let units purchased through investment experts Property Secrets, property investor Scott Goodall from London has been a loyal devotee to the buy-to-let model across the UK for over two years and is pleased that the market is bulking up once more commenting,

“I have bought over a third of my portfolio through Property Secrets primarily because they source sensible and affordable properties in emerging cities and towns in the UK that will provide the best results. My buy-to-let properties achieve between 7.6% and 9% yields with the majority of them suitable for business people and young families although I have dipped my toe into the expanding student accommodation market by buying a couple of pods.

“I absolutely love buy-to-let investing and the opportunities it provides and I would certainly encourage fellow investors thinking about diving into the buy-to-let world to give Property Secrets a call and take advantage of the rising demand for rental property -now is the time.”

Indeed, if you’re thinking about entering into the thriving rental market Property Secrets can source numerous buy-to-let properties on demand and have some excellent investment opportunities available in the North East.

As a buy-to-let investment in Hull, a fully refurbished 2 bed mid terrace house with double glazing, gas central heating, a new kitchen and bathroom, new carpets and simple decor throughout on Essex Street is available from just £54,400 with a potential rental income of £375 per month while financial and legal fees are covered and the property can be tenanted from day one.

In addition, on the edge of the thriving market town of Gainsborough, is the beautifully laid out development of Brooklands. Property Secrets has eight 4 bedroom townhouse affording superb family homes featuring comfortable lounges and master bedroom which boast luxury of en-suite facilities. From just £99,995 with a market value of £132,500, and a healthy net yield of 7.6% these properties are expected to generate a rental income of around £650 perfect for achieving exceptional returns.

For more information about reaping the rewards of the buy-to-let market in the UK and the free viewing trips offered by Property Secrets call today on 0115 985 3963, email investments@propertysecrets.net or visit www.propertysecrets.net.

Summer sensation in Mallorca as a record breaking 160,000 passengers pass through Palma International Airport in a single day

by Charlotte Ashton Spain

The Balearic island of Mallorca broke its own record over the weekend by handling 160,000 passengers in a single day according to officials at Palma International Airport.

Charlotte Ashton a visitor from London arrived at Palma airport on Saturday 6th August and commented,

“The airport was heaving with thousands of people from Britain, Germany, France and Holland arriving. The flight from London Stansted was full and the airport at full capacity with every baggage carousel being used and arrivals chock-a-block with visitors ready to enjoy the sights of Mallorca.”

Palma’s Airport is one of the top twenty busiest airports in Europe, ranked 16th in 2010 when over 21.1 million passengers passed through as well as being the third busiest in Spain, after Madrid Barajas and Barcelona El Prat. In 2007, Palma Airport hit record numbers welcoming 23.2 million passengers but numbers had since declined due to the global economic recession.

However, it is expected that until the 14th August 2011 the Balearic tourism industry will see bumper numbers of tourists visit the islands while hotel occupancy rates are predicted to once again hit levels seen before the economic slump.

Helping boost numbers further, the airports of the Aena network which manages 47 airports and 2 heliports in Spain and is the world´s leading airport operator in terms of passenger numbers has made a series of changes for the summer months seeing its airlines offer 7.4% more seats, amounting to 179,810,352 to accommodate increasing air passenger numbers with expectations that Palma Airport alone will see a 12.6% increase in air travelers.

Indeed, the predicted boost in tourist numbers should be easy to attain thanks to the consistent flow of flights coming into Palma with new arrivals for summer 2011 flying in from Brno in the Czech Republic, Hauge-sund in Norway, Oulu in Finland and Sarajevo in Bosnia Herzegovina while the number of private jets arriving at the airport is on the up seeing around 7,000 jets land at Palma airport last year.

Ignacio Osle, Sales and Marketing Director of leading house builder Taylor Wimpey de España, comments,

“We are pleased to see that Palma Airport is making every effort to increase passenger numbers and boost tourism to the island. Of course tourists are already enticed by the blue flag beaches and the UNESCO listed Serra de Tramuntana mountain range as well as rich history, culture and glamorous nightlife but combining this with an ever improving airport service and facilities will mean that visitors will find the overall ‘Mallorcan experience’ very hard to resist this summer.”

With this in mind, Taylor Wimpey de España who recently received an 86% customer satisfaction rating for 2011, are providing the perfect opportunity for potential buyers to view their luxurious yet affordable fully furnished ready to move into properties in Mallorca at their show home event until the 15th September 2011 with properties such as El Puerto II, Cala D’Or and Pollentia Mar in Puerto Pollença open to prospective buyers.

El Puerto II consists of two bedroom apartments located on the south east coast of the island, very close to the stunning celeb hangout of Cala D’Or marina costing from just €177,000 with furniture included. With 3 communal swimming pools available these properties are surrounded by outstanding natural beauty offering various other activities such as water sports, biking and golf in the local area.

Pollentia Mar located in the seaside town of Puerto Pollença on the north-east coast, within easy reach of the UNESCO listed Serra de Tramuntana mountain range is located just 50 meters from the beach and Pollensa’s famous Voramar promenade, priced from just €265,000. As a single block of apartments Pollentia Mar has a communal area, swimming pool and private parking with an abundance of facilities nearby as well as offerings of peace and quiet and beautiful views.

For more information on the Mallorcan property experience please contact Taylor Wimpey España today on 08000 121 020 or visit www.taylorwimpeyspain.com.  If you reside outside of the UK you will need to call 00 34 971 706 244.
 

Sumptuous Spain – How the other half are still living

by Charlotte Ashton Spain

 

Despite average house prices in Spain at €263,000 as of last quarter* and many properties at the lower end of the market seeing asking prices falling further, the top end of the Spanish property market seems to know no limits with homes up to £20 million still in high demand according to the experts at Spanish Hot Properties.
Nick Stuart, Managing Director of Spain’s first and premier internet estate agency, Spanish Hot Properties founded in 2007, explains:
“Historically our client base for the super lux villa has been driven by British buyers but as that market has tailed off we are seeing a huge influx of interest in our multi-million pound properties from Russian and Belgian buyers. They are not looking for ‘bling’ properties but homes which are utterly tasteful and thoughtfully put together located away from the centre of holiday towns and truly exclusive.”
Spanish Hot Property has deliberately focused its attention on areas which have not been so hard hit by the recession such as the largest Balearic island of Mallorca where average asking prices stand at €431,700 (Kyero, July 2011). And Marbella which despite seeing some price correction, still remains one of the most desirable locations on the Mediterranean to own a second home.
“The bulk of our wealthy clientele over the past year have had budgets of €1.2 – 2.5 million A massive 60% of our house sales in this top end of the market fall into this price bracket. The second biggest area of sales is across the €2.5 – 5 million bracket where 20% of our big villa sales have fallen. The rest are over the €5 million euro mark,” says Nick Stuart.
“The Marbella area again this summer is awash with celebs and this undoubtedly helps to keep the house prices at a premium, a handful of celebs spotted already this summer include Enrique Iglesias, Danielle Lloyd, Jennifer Ellison, Phil Mitchell and Gary Linekar – and this is really just touching the surface!”
So what can you get for your money in the million Euro plus market today?
€1,195,000 will buy you a fabulous luxury penthouse situated along the New Golden Mile, the beach front between the Costa del Sol suburbs of Benamara and Estepona. Menara Beach resort includes 3 bed and 3 luxury bathrooms. The roof terrace has wonderful views out to the ocean and also boasts a Jacuzzi. This development also includes an indoor and outdoor pool, gym and sauna.
In the next price bracket of up to €2,500,000 you could purchase the very beautiful Villa Natasha. This 5 bedroom and 5 bathroom villa has wonderful vistas across to Puerto Banus to one side and a fabulous golf course the other, the property is set over three floors and is a contemporary home that represents the highest level of design and opulence.
And what do you get for under €5 million? Casa Katerina is a truly imposing property which has been beautifully and tastefully decorated with the utmost attention to detail and is a haven of tranquillity and privacy.   Each of the 5 bedroom suites comprises a uniquely conceived bedroom and accompanying bath or wet room. The master bedroom suite contains a majestic bedroom with a fireplace, his and her dressing rooms, a study and a state of the art bathroom.   This Villa is available for €4,750,000.
And lastly with 6 beds and 6 bathrooms you can own a villa in La Zagaleta, close to Benhavis priced at €11,000,000. This spectacular hill top mansion in enjoys breathtaking 360 degree panoramic views of the mountain ranges and full clear Spanish coastline views of the Mediterranean Sea across to coast of Africa. Other features include a snooker room, gym, sauna, seam room, cinema room and garaging for 15 cars. The adjoining  Country Club is one of the most prestigious and exclusive residential areas in Europe – offering first class private facilities such as tennis, an equestrian centre, 2 private golf courses and a heliport.
For more information on purchasing a slice of heaven on the forever popular Costa del Sol please contact Spanish Hot Properties on 00 44 207 558 8355 or visit www.spanishhotproperties.com. 
—————- ENDS ————
Editors Notes:
 
Who Are Spanish Hot Properties?
 
Very simply they are the leading internet based real estate company in Spain. For every search made for Spanish property on the internet Spanish Hot Property will be in the top 3.
 
Spanish Hot Properties is an authority website on the Spanish property market, helping international property buyers in Spain from all over the world. They have a property finder service and a bespoke design and construction service for clients. No other property company in Spain offers the diversity and choice of products and services which is why 70% of their sales comes from word of mouth referrals.
 
Property is available from as little as €20,000 for a land plot to €20,000,000 for luxury properties at the very top end of the market.

Building Your Own Bespoke Villa in Spain, Useful Tips to Help You Get It Right

by Charlotte Ashton Spain

So with the cost of construction in Spain at its lowest for many years, maybe building your own dream villa in Spain is looking more attractive now than it did before. The obvious question is if you are new to building in Spain this task maybe quite daunting and getting good sound advice can be quite difficult. So to settle those nerves and avoid simply mistakes why not follow the top tips below and help make your Spanish villa dreams a reality.

Tip 1: Make Sure You Have a Very Good Lawyer & Architect

Whilst this applies for any property transaction in Spain it’s imperative that you have a lawyer who understands the law and makes sure that the plot of land you want to construct your dream villa on is fully legal and has the necessary building consents. Also, a good Architect is an absolute must, someone who can help you successfully build the villa you want and explain all the likely issues that might arise in the process are worth every penny.

Tip 2: The Cheapest Building Quotation Can Be The Most Expensive

Once your building project has been approved by the Architects College in Malaga you will then start the process of putting your villa project out to tender and deciding which builder to use based on the plans and costs built into the project by your Architect.  You need to bear in mind that the so called ‘cheapest’ quote may not be that at all. You should base your choice of builder on reputation and a proven track record of delivering on time and on budget. In a nutshell, always dig deeper and do your research!

Tip 3: Make Sure Your Tender Has Everything You Want Included

This is very important because any upgrades or extras you put onto a house in the middle of building will cost you more than they would have had you budgeted for them at the start. Put very simply, if your tender allows 20 Euros per square meter for tiles and you change your mind on the tiles to ones that are 40 Euros a square meter you will have to pay the difference and some additional charges. So it’s best to have those eventualities covered upfront by making sure your tender is realistic to your needs.

Tip 4: The Most Expensive Quote Might Be The Most Economic

It may be the reverse of tip 2 but the safest way to build your dream villa in Spain is a bespoke turnkey villa where you have a guaranteed price in place at the outset. This way you know your outlay before you start and what your budget is. On the face of it, you may do the math and decide to find the plot and build the property yourself hoping it might work out cheaper than going to builder with a guaranteed price. However, even with what appears most cost effective at the beginning could end up taking you way over budget with many going it alone seeing costs spiral out of control.   

Tip 5:  Choose Your Plot Carefully

Just remember your villa will cost the same to build whether it’s inland in a beautiful rural area or whether its frontline beach in Puerto Banus. However, the end value is going to differ considerably depending where you build. With this in mind, it’s very important to make sure you buy a plot in a desirable area where your property will be worth much more in the long run.

For more top tips on building your own dream villa in Spain please contact the experts Spanish Hot Properties on 00 44 207 558 8355 or visit www.spanishhotproperties.com. 

 

‘A’ for effort: B2L investors commit whole heartedly to UK Student Housing market

by Charlotte Ashton United Kingdom

In spite of the gloomy economic climate, the student accommodation sector has remained extraordinarily buoyant, kept afloat by the imbalance of supply and demand of student housing felt in many university cities across the UK.

With the assurance of a guaranteed long term income and appealing yields of between 5.25% and 7.00% depending on location and the leasing agreement, investors have been snapping up purpose built student accommodation residences left right and centre, with an estimated £347,675,000 committed to the sector in the UK since the beginning of 2011 according to the latest report from CB Richard Ellis 2011.

Indeed, student numbers have been rising year-on-year over the last five years, increasing by 4% last year alone according to the CBRE report with the growth in university students putting considerable pressure on the existing student housing stock across the country. The report highlights that there are around five full-time students for every bed-space available in Brighton and Hove University for example followed by a mere seven spaces in Dundee and nine in Glasgow.

Concerns over the impact on demand due to the forthcoming £9,000 a year student tuition fees have been allayed as students will not need to pay any of charges up-front, a key factor in upholding existing levels of housing demand and ensuring upward pressure on rents. In fact, it has been suggested that the increased fees will place greater importance on value for money and improved quality with student accommodation playing a significant part in the overall university experience.

Jennet Siebrits, head of Residential Research, CB Richard Ellis comments,

“Accommodation will play an even more important role in a university’s overall offer as students’ expectations increase with their budgets which will see students demand high quality accommodation, a good service led approach from operators and ideally, all inclusive rent. Private developers will be relied upon to plug this gap, given that the universities will have very little capital to do so themselves. This should encourage more opportunities for developers to work closely with the institutions going forward, which will also prove helpful in the planning process.”

It is expected that demand for student housing will continue to remain resilient overall with the sector predicted to outperform most other property sectors by some margin and with investors and developers continuing to be attracted to the traditional university cities, predominantly those in the Russell Group which represents the 20 leading universities in the UK, there are plenty of investment opportunities to be had.

Alan Forsyth, Director of highly respected property investment agency, Property Secrets comments,

“Students have realised the appeals of modern, purpose built accommodation available from the private sector and this in turn is pushing up demand. Consequently, buy to let investors will continue to look towards the private student housing market as a way of ensuring guaranteed returns as well as a diversification of their real estate portfolios – our student housing developments located close to the Russell Group University of Manchester will enable investors to do just that.”

With a booming market and high rental yields to be enjoyed, buy-to-let property experts, Property Secrets, are offering the chance to invest in two hands-off, hassle free opportunities in Manchester.

Montgomery House, a student accommodation block, ideally situated on the edge of Alexandra Park close to the city centre and Manchester University consists of 240 individual bedrooms as well as bathrooms, kitchens and living areas priced at just £24,000 for a student pod with a rental guarantee for the first year and a gross rental yield of 6-10%.

Additionally, consisting of one, two and three bed duplex apartments totalling to 100 apartments with each apartment affording a large open plan living area, modern fitted kitchen, modern bathroom fittings and off street parking, Empress Mill in Manchester costing from just £65,000 has a long leasehold basis for a period of 125 years and has an estimated rental income potential of £500pcm with a yield of around 8%

For more information on these fantastic opportunities to invest in a secure and lucrative development destined to make significant returns please contact Property Secrets on +44 (0)115 985 3963, email info@propertysecrets.net or visit www.propertysecrets.net.

Tempted by Tirana? Albania’s capital sees 23% increase in passenger arrivals

by Charlotte Ashton Albania

 

Latest statistics released by Tirana International Airport (TIA), which serves the Albanian capital, reveal that in the first half of 2011 the number of passengers increased by an impressive 23%
According to TIA figures, the airport handled 793,984 passengers between January and June 2011 – a new record! Air traffic movements and cargo handling also increased, by 10.6% and 17.7% respectively compared to the same period last year.
Airport officials are confident that the high number of passengers is as a result of the visa liberalization process and with tourism figures up 8.5% year-on-year Albania is certainly enjoying a boost in popularity.
The airline carrying most passengers in and out of Albania is Italian owned Bellair with 46.2% of the traffic although this could be set to change with the news that British Airways is starting daily flights to Albania rather than their previous thrice weekly service.   
Ravin Maharajah, Partner of Lalzit Bay Resort & Spa, the 5* luxury residential development located on Albania’s Adriatic coastline just 45 minutes from Tirana, comments,
 
“The Lonely Planet Guide and the Financial Times did Albania a tremendous favour at the end of last year – both highlighting this little known Balkan country as a top tip for 2011. Lonely Planet placed Albania at the number one spot for places to visit in Europe and the FT said: “one of this year’s most intriguing prospects – partly for its quiet, affordable Mediterranean beaches, partly for its rugged landscape.
“We are so excited by the development of this country and feel very proud to be a part of its growth. Tourism is increasing steadily and in line with this the interest in Lalzit Bay Resort & Spa as we head ever closer to ground breaking on the site.”
The Prime Minister of Albania, Sali Berisha is behind much of this success, working hard with the Albanian nationals to ensure that their efforts are being put in the right direction and offering support where he can. 
He is committed to tourism, working with experts to create a dedicated database to streamline the industry and its operating processes. Lalzit Bay is an area which is going to be highly targeted by domestic and international tourists looking for second homes away from the city. 
 
Its warm sea waters, beautiful white sandy beaches and fabulous weather makes this area a very sensible choice for property investment. Lalzit Bay Resort & Spa is being marketed from as little as €29,000 for a studio apartment. The resort will provide holiday makers with outstanding on-site facilities including a beach club, tennis courts and a wide choice of delicious international cuisines available in the restaurants.
 
For more information contact Lalzit Bay Resort & Spa on 0845 125 8600 or visit www.lalzitbay.com

Sizzling summer on the Costa del Sol with a forecasted 10% growth in visitor numbers

by Charlotte Ashton Spain

Summer on the forever popular Costa del Sol is set to sizzle with a forecasted 10% growth in both the number of visitors and tourist generated revenue this season with the President of the Costa del Sol Tourist Board, Elías Bendodo estimating that tourist generated income is expected to reach €1.2 million over the summer months.

In a press conference Bendodo stated that the glorious ‘Coast of the Sun’ is reaping the benefits from tourists who have chosen the Costa del Sol this summer, with the majority of visitors arriving from Britain and Germany. In spite of this positive outlook, Bendodo wishes to push tourism further focussing his attention on Spanish culture, cuisine and residential tourism as well as encouraging foreigners to spend their retirement on the sun drenched Costa del Sol.

Indeed, the growth in tourist numbers will be cheered on by Costa del Sol hotel owners with overall hotels in the area expecting occupancy levels to increase by 4% this year compared to 2010.

And there is even more good news for the golden coast with a second runway now ready and expected to be in operation from January 2012 at Málaga Airport, vital to cope with the increase in passengers expected over the coming years. The new runway will help double the airports number of take-off and landing operations from 37 to 72, with as many as 9,500 passengers able to arrive or depart every hour, accumulating to around 30 million passengers a year.

Of course, it is simple to see why the Costa del Sol is so perennially popular with its dazzling blue flag beaches and cultural and historic offerings in cities like Malaga, a city said to be attracting tourists with more spending power than the rest of the Costa del Sol according to the local Tourism Observatory with the average expenditure of visitors spending up to €74.6 per day, well above the average of €50.4 per day for the rest of the province.

Conversely, tourists who are looking for the more luxurious side of life will look no further than the sleek and sophisticated town of Marbella. In a class of its own, Marbella is one of the most exclusive and sought after areas of Spain, bursting with hip boutiques, chic restaurants and pumping nightlife. Furthermore, it is well documented that the trendy town attracts the rich and famous and this year, glitterati stars Antonio Banderas and Eva Longoria will be holding the Starlite charity gala in Marbella on August 6th in response to the success of last year’s event which saw 500 people attend the €1,000 -a-head gala held at the Villa Padierna.

Nick Stuart, Managing Director of Spain’s first and premier internet estate agency, Spanish Hot Properties comments,

“Summer on the Costa del Sol will be a hot one in terms of visitor numbers this year. Certainly with the mostly disappointing summer weather in northern Europe as well as the strife in the Middle East, a bigger proportion of tourists have decided to make the reliable and reassuring Costa del Sol their summer holiday escape. Indeed, the increase in Dutch and Scandinavian visitors as well as the loyal British travel market has certainly helped with the turnaround in Costa del Sol tourism.”

Operating across Spain, Spanish Hot Properties offer something for everyone with a choice of over 15,000 properties from high quality studio apartments to multi-million pound luxury mansions.

Located in Puerto de la Duquesa, Marina del Castillo on the Costa del Sol affords 1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments and penthouses on a beautiful 1st line beach from €189,000 for a 2 bed apartment. The properties include electric shutters in the living room and bedrooms, fully fitted kitchen with all electro domestics and a hydro massage bath in all master bathrooms with up to 69% discount and up to 100% finance.

For the more lavish buyer, Doncella Beach situated right on the shore-line of the blue Med consists of 85 exquisite apartments and penthouses in 7 elegant buildings with facilities including a Jacuzzi, Turkish bath, sauna, special aroma-therapy showers, gym, yoga room and solarium deck

by the effortlessly chic pool bar priced from €799,000 for a 2 bed and €1.3 million for a 3 bed penthouse.

For more information on purchasing a slice of heaven on the forever popular Costa del Sol please contact Spanish Hot Properties on 00 44 207 558 8355 or visit www.spanishhotproperties.com. 
 

UN International Year of Forests 2011 raises awareness of renewable timber alternative – Bamboo

by Charlotte Ashton World

We make choices every day from purchasing a new set of wooden cooking utensils to printing that 5 page document you didn’t really need and while we make these seemingly simple choices we sometimes forget the high impact these decisions can have on our planet.  Indeed, it’s now time to look at the bigger picture, not only to better manage our rapidly depleting timber resources but to invest in natural and renewable timber alternatives.

This year was declared the International Year of Forests 2011 by the United Nations to raise awareness of responsible management, conservation and sustainable development of all types of forests. This has seen governments, international and regional organisations as well as civil society organisations form national groups and elect environmental focal points within their country to aid organisation of activities in support of the International Year of Forests 2011.

According to the UN, around 130,000km² of the world´s forests are lost due to deforestation each year, a devastating reality for the estimated 1.6 billion people that depend on forests for their livelihoods. Some 300 million people live within them while forests also provide habitats for about two-thirds of all species on earth. Deforestation of rainforests is predicted to account for a biodiversity loss of as many as 100 species per day according to The World Bank.

With this in mind, the sustainable management of forests is becoming ever more pressing with countries across the world now pledged to do all they can to improve the situation in light of the UN initiative. For instance, the Government of the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea has established a plan for reforestation and plantation of its entire land by 2012 while other countries have been organising events throughout the year as a way of promoting their particular objectives. England for example will be holding a ‘Forest Discovery Day’ on September 11th across the nation where people will be given the chance to meet rangers and learn about sustainable forestry followed by a mass tree hug while Australian schools held a tree planting day earlier this month and the USA enjoyed a national Get Outdoors Day Big Tree Challenge back in June.

Although the International Year of Forests 2011 will play a major role in improving environmental awareness, with the global market for timber so vast having doubled in the last six years it is paramount that alternative timber supplies be utilised as well.

In the sustainable resources sector, bamboo is fast becoming the best alternative to addressing global, social and environmental concerns over traditional timber with the bamboo market currently at $5bn a year, growing to a predicted $20bn by 2015. Utilising bamboo in everyday applications makes perfect sense with its quick growth, excellent strength and durability, environmental benefits and around 3,500 commercial uses including food, construction material, flooring, furniture, charcoal, paper, medicines and textiles to name a few.

Ray Withers, Director of Property Frontiers which markets the world’s first asset backed bamboo bond explains,

“With global warming on the horizon becoming one of the most important issues our generation will be faced with, bamboo plantations present a far better alternative, as people shun traditionally felled wood products in favour of the environmentally friendly choice.”

It is forecasted by Yale University that one hectare will produce over 109 km of bamboo pole in 15 years; consequently leaders in the alternative investment market, Property Frontiers believe that investing in bamboo will suit environmentally conscious investors looking to have a positive social and environmental impact as well as benefit from a high return rate.  As the most exciting of any timber investment, Property Frontiers are offering a world first – The Bamboo bond, giving a secure and rewarding SIPP eligible bamboo investment in Central America with fixed annual returns starting in year 1.

With a minimum investment of $16,500 investors buy a 15 year asset backed bond. This bond entitles them to fixed payments over the 15 year period that reaches a maximum of 55% per year! At the end the principal investment is repaid meaning that the highest returning bond priced at $50,000 returns over 500% during the term. This return is fixed and secured against assets of the US Bamboo plantation company to protect investors in the unlikely event of a default. 

This green investment in Central America is a perfect investment opportunity with a variety of significant advantages, helping investors build their ‘green’ credentials and make substantial returns from a lucrative and growing market whilst helping to lessen environmental degradation across the globe.

For more information on investing in this bamboo alternative please contact Property Frontiers on +44 (0) 1865 202 700 or visit www.propertyfrontiers.com.