Visits to Spain increased in 2006 and 2007 over previous years and the forecast is for continued growth. What is spurring the influx of tourists into this European country?

One reason is the predictable, pleasant, summer weather Spain enjoys. This is especially attractive to Northern Europeans who tolerate damper climes. The chance to escape to days filled with sun, sand, and afternoon beach snoozing is very attractive.

Another reason travelers come to Spain is that it's an affordable destination. Tourists receive value for their money because of competitive pricing for travel and accommodation. Hotels are upgrading their facilities and their services as well. This is because many tourists seek private homes as their Spanish holiday abodes, away from traditional hotels. Therefore the hotels have to offer better value to keep the customers coming.

The 1992 Barcelona Olympics planted the seeds for future tourism growth in Spain. A worldwide audience received a fresh introduction or re-introduction to this Mediterranean hotspot, which got the ball rolling. It hasn't stopped.

It rolled into Valencia in 2007 for the 32nd America's Cup yachting spectacular. One million people came to the city, the third largest in Spain, for this event. There's the spin-off effect, too as some of these people choose to visit other areas of Spain while in the country. Again, the stature of this event gave the country exposure, which in itself leads to more growth in tourism down the road.

In fact, Valencia has the highest increase in tourism of any European city in recent years. Madrid and Barcelona still rank higher in number of tourists who visit Spain.

One fantastic futuristic tourist attraction in Valencia is the City of Arts and Sciences. This attraction, with its modern white buildings, is a complex of museums, an aquarium, and a planetarium. It also has an opera house and the Palace of the Arts. This 'city' sits in Turia Gardens, a drained river turned park.

Four types of tourism are contributing to the healthy growth of visitor numbers to Spain. They are:

* Internal tourism: Spaniards are traveling within their country more. They are retiring earlier and spending more.

* Eco-tourism: This is different from a typical beach holiday. The lure here is to get back to the country. Tourists are staying in farmhouse accommodation or quaint small hotels.

* Language tourism: Every year there's an invasion of those who come to Spain to learn...well...Spanish! Especially with the beautiful summers, it seems sunny leisure time and language lessons go well together.

* Business tourism: Spain is popular as a destination for business conferences. The travel industry reports that business travelers spend more money than people on holidays spend. Attracting business conventions is lucrative for Spain's tourism industry.

There are always Spain's traditional charms to get people coming back for more. Their arts heritage is rich with the history of Goya, Picasso, and Dali. There is the romance of the language and of the dance form of the Flamenco; there's the spicy Spanish music. There are the coastal charms with areas like the Costa del Sol.

There is also the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, built in 1997, and its magnificent architecture and collections.

It's easy to understand why people are flying to Spain in droves - and driving and sailing there as well from other European countries.

Spain's tourist industry has a bright future ahead- as sunny as its splendid summers.