Known as the White Island Ibiza is one of the four Balearic Islands – along with Mallorca, Menorca and near neighbour Formentera.  And nestles in the Mediterranean just off the southern coast of Spain.  The island was first subdued and reconquered for the Spanish crown in 1235 when the Moors were finally expelled.

The island capital Ibiza Town is the hub of the islands nightlife – home to big name establishments such as Pacha.  As well as the cultural heart of the island – best epitomised by the impressive walled town within a town of the Dalt Villa.

The island boasts some fantastic beaches – over 80 in fact.  Some of which are amongst the most stunning in Europe.  Such as Cala Benirass – a favoured hangout of the rich and famous who flock to the Ibiza  in the summer months, located between San Joan and San Miguel.  Where tourists will find a smattering of bars and restaurants and a beautiful cove backed by pine clad hills.

There are plenty of excellent accommodation options on the island.  Including a host of hotels and apartments complexes.  Many visitors also seek to book holiday villas in Ibiza direct online – with prices rising sharply during the peak summer months of the season.  An annual phenomenon that also sees prices hiked for other services and facilities such as car hire.

Ibiza is just a short two and half hour flight from the UK – which is one of the islands major markets.  And is served by most of the leading low cost budget airlines such as Ryanair and easyJet.  Making it cheap and easy to reach.  It also enjoys huge popularity with other nationalities – most notably Italians, Germans and of course the Spanish.

As well as beaches and nightlife Ibiza offers plenty for visitors to do and see.  One of the best ways to enjoy the island is simply to hire a car and cruise through the delightful countryside and cool villages such as San Jose and San Miguel.  Which is located right atop the Puig de Missa range of hills about 4km inland on the north east coast. And which is as sleepy and traditional an Ibincan village as one could hope to find.

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 Lanzarote´s popularity as a year round holiday destination has been further reinforced by the release of these latest figures from AENA.  Which indicate that total foreign tourism to the island is up for the year to date, with a total of 1,341,556 foreign nationals arriving on flights to Lanzarote across the period January to October 2008.  

 News that confounds media speculation that the credit crunch could spell the end for holidays abroad.  Whilst also making happy reading for the owners of apartments and holiday villas in Lanzarote.

 British tourists continue to lead the way, accounting for well over 50% of all visits by foreign nationals.  

 But consumers from Eire are also reluctant to relinquish their holidays abroad.  With AENA´s figures revealing that 186,759 tourist from the Republic have visited Lanzarote across the first ten months of 2008.  An increase of 1.39% versus 2007. So further cementing Lanzarote´s position as the most popular destination for Irish tourists in the whole of Spain.

 Significant increases in visitor numbers have also been recorded in the main Scandinavian markets.  Which was once a major supplier of visitors for Lanzarote back in the days when tourism was first taking off in the 1970´s and 80´s.  With Swedish visitor numbers up by 35.07% year on year, followed by Norway (up 19.6%) and Finland (up 14.33%).

 One negative note sounded by the latest AENA figures is that German tourism to the island continues to fall.  Down by 13.23% to 226,088 visits, maintaining a longer term pattern of decline as German visitors desert Lanzarote in favour of other, newer holiday destinations, such as Egypt and Turkey.

 That being said Germany remains the second largest tourist market for the island and local tourist authorities are hoping to reverse this trend with a multi million euro marketing campaign designed to woo back the missing German guests.  And overall the AENA figures illustrate the continued buoyancy of Lanzarote´s key tourist industry – despite the credit crunch, falling pound and failing airlines.

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The AENA figures will confound many industry observers who have been predicting the death of the foreign holiday.  As Lanzarote has now welcomed 509,755 British tourists during the first six months of 2008.  An increase of 15.6% on the same period during 2007.

And it´s not just British consumers who are refusing to give up their week in the sun.  As foreign visitor numbers to the island as a whole have increased by 5.9% during the first six months of the year.  With the Irish market also contributing to this upward trend – with 123,047 tourists from Eire visiting Lanzarote over the same period.  An increase of 5.4% versus last year. 

The news makes welcome reading for the many overseas owners of holiday villas in Lanzarote.  As thousands of British and Irish investors have taken the plunge into ownership on the island over the last decade. 

Attracted by the fact that Lanzarote boasts a year round clement climate that also delivers year round rental returns.  A claim that no other European sun spot can truly match.

Currently, the Lanzarote property market is softening – in tandem with most other markets across Spain and Europe.  Primarily as a result of international pressures rather than any domestic detoriation.  As Lanzarote´s main industry is tourism – which clearly remains in excellent health in light of this strong first half performance.

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