Brits flocking to Spanish resorts in record numbers as terror threats put them off Egypt and Turkey
Official government figures have revealed an 11 per cent increase in July tourist numbers since last year
RECORD numbers of Brits have flocked to Spain despite the weakened pound with tourists shunning summer trips to Egypt and Turkey.
Resorts around Mallorca have reported as being fully booked for the next several weeks as British tourists make the most of the Spanish summer sun and numbers catapult above 2015 tourism figures.
Official Spanish tourism numbers revealed that a record 9.6 million tourists arrived in Spain in July alone, up 11 per cent on the same period in 2015, with about one in four of those tourists from Britain.
The jump has been in part attributed to the fear surrounding travel to Egypt and Turkey as both countries continue to struggle with political upheaval and terrorist attacks.
Spanish travel agents and tour operators association president Rafael Gallego said: "Between 12 per cent and 15 per cent of the tourists coming to Spain wouldn't have come were it not that those destinations that compete directly with Spain for sun and beaches are closed due to tragic events," .
Spanish ports have been filled with cruise ships with estimates putting the number of cruise passengers arriving at 20,000 every Tuesday morning in Palma.
The UK airports have also been filled with Spanish-bound, sun-seeking tourists with Gatwick airport reporting that it had seen 8.5 million passengers travelling to Spain in the past 12 months to July - an increase of 12.2 per cent in a year.
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The popularity of Spain as a holiday destination comes despite a man being killed while holidaying in Spain with his family in a case of mistaken identity.
But residents fear the country has reached saturation point with the arrival of 67 million tourists in 2016 far out-numbering the country's population of 47 million.
Anti-tourist slogans have been graffitied around Mallorca's capital, Palma, with messages reading "tourists go home" and "tourist you are the terrorist".
The messages were removed by police but reflected the anti-tourist sentiment felt in some of the Spanish towns.
The summer season in Spain is now expected to go for longer with resorts reporting that trading is at an all-time high for October.
Many resorts that traditionally close for the autumn season are now staying open to cater for the massive swell in demand.
It comes after Turkey was plagued by an attempted military coup earlier this year, with the rebellion seeing hundreds killed on the street and many clashes in the aftermath.
Egypt has likewise been plagued by unrest with the Association of British Travel Agents saying it expects a 60 per cent fall in tourism numbers for the country.
The Brit's love for travel comes despite the plummeting pound.
There has been a 15 per cent decline in the value of the pound since the EU referendum saw a vote for the UK to leave the European Union.
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