Palma.The level of satisfaction shown by foreign tourists to Spain last year was similar although slightly higher than opinions surveyed in 2010, Spain's Ministry for Tourism claimed yesterday.
Tourist research group Habitur, reporting to the ministry, said that polls had returned a verdict of 8.5 out of 10 for 2011, bringing the tourist offer in Spain into the outstanding category.
Value placed on Spain's entire tourism offer hovered around the 8 points mark although it was in the sectors of urban transport and infrastructure which put the country into the top ranking of 8.2 and 8.1 points respectively.
The highest compliments were paid by the British who gave Spain an average of 8.7 marks out of 10 in terms of holiday satisfaction.Germany and the United Kingdom were the countries whose visitors to Spain most valued their hotel or apartments with 8 points. The British were those who liked Spanish food best, allocating 8.2 points which was higher than the average mark they gave to France last year.
The Portuguese, Dutch and Scandinavians also placed a high value on infrastructure which encompasses roads and airports, whilst Germans appreciated tourist resort facilities and urban transport.
The key client countries gave Spain an average of over 8 points for the country's tourist offer in general: the United Kingdom with 8.7 points; Germany and Scandinavia, 8.6; France, Italy and Portugal with 8.3, and Holland 8.2 points.
The way that fidelity of clients is measured is by evaluating the number of times a foreign tourist has been to Spain on previous occasions. Habitur's survey showed that the vast majority of interviewees, around 83.5%, had already been to Spain and that 40.3% had holidayed here on ten or more occasions. The British and the Portuguese are the tourists who most repeat their trips to Spain.