Tourism in Turkey Hotting up

The number of foreigners visiting the country increased by 14.6% in February of 2005 compared to February of 2004, according to the Turkish State Institute of Statistics (SIS), benefiting buy-to-let investors. Should this trend continue then the summer of 2005 may once again prove a busy period.

In the region of five million Britons are considering either buying a holiday home overseas, purchasing a place abroad for investment or contemplating retiring to a sunnier country according to Channel 4. In fact, a recent Alliance & Leicester survey found that one in eight Britons aged 50 and over plan to retire abroad by 2010 - that's around 2.5 million people.

The weakness of the dollar has slashed property prices in Barbados for British buyers, and developers are coming up with schemes to suit most budgets.

While the most popular properties on the west coast, are very expensive, there are far cheaper properties to be found in up and coming parts of the south coast.

Dietmar Caspar, of Hamptons says: "it is up and coming: the Government has invested in the area of St Lawrence Gap, the beaches are quite nice and you are close to the nightlife. You can get the same apartment on the south coast for 40% less than on the west coast."

More Brits have started look for property on the east coast in places like Nerja, Almuñécar and Motril as these areas are cheaper to buy in than comparable areas on the west coast, where property prices have risen hand in hand with over-development. The East coast however lacks leisure activities such as golf, which the west is famous for.

The Costa Del Sol continues to be the most sought after destination amongst both foreign - principally British - house buyers and Spanish buyers from places like Madrid and The Basque Country. This has helped to drive some of the biggest property price increases in all of Spain.
According to the Spanish Government's Figures for the end of June 2004, average property prices (new build and resale) in Málaga have risen 27% in 12 months - the highest rise in all of Spain. Further more there is currently an unprecedented building boom taking place in the Costa Del Sol, like many other parts of Spain.

Major Sporting events can have so many positive effects.

The effect of large sporting events on urban development will have endless positive spin-offs for any country, says Yannis Pyrgiotis, executive director and chief technical officer of the Athens Olympic Games organising committee.

"Johannesburg, will play a pivotal role in the 2010 football World Cup by hosting the opening and closing ceremonies, is on track with their infrastructural plans," says Reid.

Lynette Finlay says that SA has one of the best property returns, outperforming the UK and Ireland, and that government has set aside huge budgets to create massive infrastructure for the world cup.