Number one?

The Balearics last year received more tourists than any other autonomous community in Spain, despite a 1.9 per cent fall in tourism. The Institute for Tourism Studies yesterday reported that not only was the Balearics the number one Spanish destination, Spain also experienced a 25 per cent increase in the number of French holidaymakers - although few came to the Balearics where the French market shrunk slightly last year. The US market to Spain slumped by 26 per cent. However, the British dominated Spain last year with an overall 4.6 per cent increase in the number of holidaymakers from the UK compared to figures for 2000. The Germans accounted for the second largest market, despite a fall of 6.4 per cent while the French were in third place and the Dutch in fourth. In total, 6.262.511 tourists visited the Balearics last year followed by Cataluña with 5.456.981 and the Canaries, 3.334.675.