Tourists prefer to spend their holidays in Spain in July, according to a new survey.

More than seven million foreign visitors made their holidays here in that month than the year before, a rise of over 10 percent compared with same period in the year before.

In August fewer foreign tourists came to Spain.

In total 7.2m visited the country last month – a rise of 5.5 percent compared with August 2004.

The survey by the Spanish tourism ministry found Catalonia was the favourite destination once again.

In August alone, two million tourists visited this part of north-eastern Spain.

This represents 27 percent of all tourists who made their 
 
holidays here that month and a rise of 12 percent compared to the same period the year before.

The largest group of visitors to Catalonia were the French, followed by the British, whose numbers increase by five percent.

Other destinations, in order of popularity were the Balearic Islands, Andalusia, the Canary Islands, Valencia and then Madrid.

Overall, year-on-year the most marked change was the sharp rise in non-package tourists coming to Spain.

In August, 23.5m  - or 60.9 percent – of all holidaymakers made their holidays here in this way, an increase of 16 percent compared with the previous year.

Only 15m tourists bought package deals, or 6.7 percent less.