Tourists crowd Palma de Mallorca's Arenal beach on the Spanish Balearic island of Mallorca July 25, 2011. Spain was host to 24.8 million foreign tourists in the first half of 2011, a 7.5% increase over the same period in 2010, according to figures from the Spanish Institute for Tourist Studies. REUTERS/Enrique Calvo (SPAIN - Tags: TRAVEL SOCIETY) - RTR2PA0I

BRITONS are rediscovering the Mediterranean as bookings to Spain and Portugal are already up by a quarter this year.

Both are expecting record numbers after terrorst attacks in resorts like Tunisia and Egypt have made them off limits.

More than half a million more Britons have already booked a place in Spain or Portugal this year, according to data from research agency GfK.

The first week of April saw more than 40% of British holiday bookings made for Spain, despite the fact that average holiday prices there have risen £27 per person.

Britons far outweigh visiting numbers to Spain, with the last month for which data are available showing they make up 22% of arrivals.

 

 

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