Spain is world's number one holiday destination - again

The Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index 2017, drawn up by the World Economic Forum, covers 136 countries, and Spain beats the other 135 with a total of 5.43 points.

Its nearest rival is France, with 5.32, followed by Germany with 5.28, and these top three countries have kept their positions from last year.

Japan has soared from ninth to fourth with 5.26, whilst Canada is up from 10^th to ninth, ahead of Switzerland's 4.94 points.

The USA has dropped to sixth place with 5.12, whilst the UK is level-pegging with Japan; Australia is seventh with 5.1 points and Italy, eighth with 4.99.

Although the report says Spain has benefited from plummeting holidaymaker numbers in traditional sunshine destinations close to or in Europe affected by insecurity and conflict, such as Turkey, Tunisia and Egypt, its 'excellent' tourism services and infrastructure, making it a mature destination very geared-up to catering for national and foreign visitors, and even its transport network – classified as one of the 15^th best on the planet – mean the south-western Mediterranean country is likely, in any case, to have beaten those nations whose tourists are thinking twice about visiting.

But the report warns Spain's transport network is showing signs of starting to decline and needs to be upgraded.

It says Spain's main challenge is to 'keep on improving' and not to rest on its laurels, safe in the knowledge it is a highly-developed destination already which created 120,000 new jobs in 2015 and generated 2.3 million new and existing positions in total.

Where Spain falls down – and where its worst score was found – is on competitiveness in prices.

Here, it comes 99^th out of 136, behind countries like Iran, Egypt, Malaysia and Algeria.

Spain's 'cultural and natural' resources – its historic heritage, monuments, and vastly varied and beautiful countryside – are rated just as highly as its excellent beaches, which typically earn more blue flags denoting quality, cleanliness and convenience per square metre than any other country in Europe, if not the world.

The report proves tourism in Spain is not just about sun, sea and sand, but that its natural and man-made attractions mean it is equally popular for sightseeing, sports and nature, and for active or relaxing breaks which are not beach-related.