In a recent interview with the The Majorca Daily Bulletin, Mr Vasallo of the Turespana Spanish Tourist Board told reporters that despite the recent credit crunch, and the poor exchange rate of the dollar and pound against the euro (which is having some efffect on consumers - such as delaying the sale of property or the purchasing of a new car) it certainly isn't going to have an effect on their plans to holiday this year. This, he says, is because people are accustomed to their yearly well earned break from the stresses and strains of everyday life. What it does mean however, he continues, is that more careful budgeting may be needed to still enjoy the usual annual holiday. In fact, very positive about the situation, Igacia Vasallo actually expects tourism to Spain to rise for this 2008 season, albeit by a modest 2% increase.

These predicitions are not just based on the hopes of Mr Vasallo but are grounded in confirmed statistics - figures for the first quarter of this year show that nearly 10.7 million tourists visited Spain during this period!

One of the reasons that Spain continues to be the No 1 holiday destination for so many people, attrating millions of people to its various parts each year is that Spain offers such good value for money - despite the pound being at a record low against the euro it is still one of the cheapest eurozone destinations - a fact confirmed by both Mr Vasallo and The Post Office.

Even with the rise in the cost of fuel pushing up airline surcharges, budget airlines still offer some great deals on flights. And a holiday away from the crowded tourist traps in the "real Spain" - an option that many are choosing now - as well as being a very interesting vacation - can be very kind on the purse, too!

Take the inland of Murcia for example, a region that has only recently been discovered as a great holiday destination and is now referred to as "the hidden gem of Spain" and the most up and coming popular holiday destination. The region boasts great weather, has some of the most spectacular scenery and is steeped in history and culture - there are so many places to vist and so many things to do! Although set in traditional Spanish countryside amidst mountain ranges, this location is ideal - it's easy to reach from the airport, has all amenities on hand, has plenty of towns, cities and villages, national parks to visit, golf courses within easy driving distance and you can still get to the beautiful beaches of the Costa Calida and Costa Blanca if you fancy a day out at the beach.

And one of the big benefits is that the cost of living is much cheaper in this area than it is in the coastal tourist spots - you soon see the difference between the price of beer, eating out, food in the supermarkets and other products. A price of a small beer usually ranges from 1€ to about 1.20€ here whereas on the coast you'll normally pay about 1.50€. At luchtime you can have a "Menu del Dia" for about 8.50€ - and that usually consists of salad with bread, a starter, a main course, a desert and a drink.

And booking holiday accommodation direct from the owner rather than through an agency or tour operator can save pounds as well - just recently friends of our ours for example booked a villa holiday with friends - they booked a 3 bedroom villa and shared the costs between the 3 couples, reducing the cost of a holiday considerably. Families often holiday together too and share the cost between the relatives eg grandparents holidaying with their children and grandchildren.