The Chinese have been promised a “unique treatment” in Seville. The agreement was formerly announced  at the travel fair on Tuesday. It was signed by the delegate of Economy, Employment and Tourism of the City, Gregorio Serrano, and political advisor of the Embassy of China in Spain the Chao Hong Sheng.

Chinese tourism in Seville grew 20 percent last year, but the potential for growth is almost limitless considering China’s size and ever increasing propensity to travel.

The economic crisis has hit Spain especially hard. Figures just released, show that unemployment rose by 7.8% in 2011 – with some 4.42 million Spaniards now out of work. The highest unemployment rate in the industrialised World.

2012 does not bode well with many economists predicting more of the same and worse to come. Unemployment rose across all sectors of the economy and affected more women than men. Andalucia, Catalyuna and Valencia were the Provinces worst hit.

2011 was also Spain’s hottest year on record. Final figures have yet to be finalised, but all is pointing to a scorcher with average temperatures 1.5 degrees centigrade above average. The hottest year since records began – in 1961. The Spanish meteorological office has stated that temperatures across Spain have been “Very hot to extremely hot”

Despite all the negatively that is in the daily press, there have been a few welcomed and much less publicised events. As of January 1st – everyone in Spain is entitled to free medical care for example.

A draw for many people who choose to stay in holiday villas in Tuscany is the rich artistic history of the area.  The Tuscany region inspired many of the great artists of the renaissance period so when you arrive at your Tuscany villas, you can start to be inspired too, you can drink wine from the same vines that Da Vinci might have drunk from. You can view the same great landscapes that have inspired Michelangelo and Botticelli, perhaps eat the delicious Italian food that Puccini may have enjoyed during whilst writing La Bohème.  Browsing in one of the many museums throughout Tuscany will give you the chance to get familiar with many of the brilliant artists who spent time in this amazing part of the world.

You may not immediately think of Tuscany when considering a golfing holiday but with more courses than somewhere like the Costa Blanca you’ll have a great opportunity for some first class golfing.  With fantastic winding courses landscaped into the beautiful Tuscan countryside golf in Tuscany is a great reason to choose stay in Tuscany villas.

No trip to Tuscany would be complete without seeing and experiencing all that places like Florence, Siena and Pisa have to offer. Great city centres alive with the sights and sounds of real Italy.  Experience the tower, cathedral and waterways of Pisa. Explore the red topped city of Florence with its winding rivers and bustling market squares. Relaxing and people watching at one of the many cafes in the stunning Piazzo del Campo in Siena is a must for any visitor to Tuscany and of course time your visit right to see the amazing spectacle of the Palio horse race.

This year’s El Gordo is set to be the biggest on record. Consumer spending my be at all time low, but people’s hopes and aspirations are being reflected in the sales of lottery tickets. Their hope is not misplaced. The odds of getting a prize on the Christmas lottery are significantly higher than many other lotteries. With a one in five chance of getting some form of prize.

Golf can be one of the most relaxing sports in the world, but it can also be one of the most frustrating if it is not your day. Nobody knows how they are going to play when they walk onto that first tee – hit a sweet drive and you’ve got your game rolling, but hit a duff drive and you’ll be playing catch-up for the rest of the round.

No matter how your game goes, though, it’ll be hard not to be relaxed in the sunny Spanish countryside. Even if your holiday just includes a single round, you’ll feel invigorated for the exercise and the experience. The rest of the time can be spent lazing on the enticing beaches of the Spanish coast. Many holiday companies these days offer packages for every kind of break, including golf breaks, which are the perfect anniversary gift for husbands, boyfriends, brothers and fathers around the world.

Spain has hundreds of golf courses that are perfect for short breaks. There are, of course, some of the most famous courses in the world in Valderrama and PGA de Catalunya, but if you’d prefer a more conservative break, then you should try the Montenmedio Golf and Country Club in the south west of the country or Novo Sancti Petri, which is one of the biggest golf clubs in Spain.

When the golf is finished, you can dabble in a bit of Mediterranean culture and enjoy the best that Spain has to offer in the ways of wine, food and entertainment. Everything about this country is beautiful: the food, the wine, the people, the countryside, the culture and, of course, the golf courses. You know that you’ll get your money’s worth every time you visit Spain.

To ensure you make the most of your time in the English capital, here are the five must-see London landmarks to take in and take plenty of iconic photographs of.

Big Ben/Houses of Parliament
Hop off the Underground at Westminster Tube station and you’ll enjoy one of the finest views in London as you emerge onto the street with the Houses of Parliament to one side and the London Eye, which we’ll touch on in a minute, on the other. While entry to the Houses of Parliament is extremely limited for tourists, it does little to dampen the appeal of the place and no trip to London is complete with having your photo taken with Big Ben somewhere in the background.

London Eye
Cross Westminster Bridge from the Houses of Parliament to take a trip – or ‘flight’ as it is billed – on the London Eye, which interestingly is the most popular paid tourist attraction in the UK. It’s a feat of architectural and structural genius and offers a stunning vista of the city’s skyline if you climb aboard of the 32 pods that are continuously moving.

Tower Bridge
Embark on a short walk away on the same side of the River Thames as the London Eye and you’ll soon stumble across the magnificent Tower Bridge. Whether you pass under it on a boat or walk over it, you can’t help but be impressed by the engineering brilliance that went into crafting the fully-functional bascule bridge well over a century ago.

Tower of London
Located right next to Tower Bridge is the Tower of London. Here you can discover more about the historical relevance of the city, have a walk around the wall, see England’s crown jewels and find out what happened to those unfortunate souls who were taken to Traitors’ Gate after getting on the wrong side of the law.

Buckingham Palace
Royal residencies don’t come much grander than Buckingham Palace, home of Queen Elizabeth. Did you know that it has a staggering 775 rooms? And it’s a safe bet that each one is lavishly decorated. Approach Buckingham Palace on foot down The Mall for maximum wow factor and then enjoy all the pomp and ceremony that goes into making the Changing of the Guard such a well-known event.

Injury, illness or death
If you’re in a foreign country (even if it’s Western) and you suffer injury or illness without having travel insurance, you’ll be in for a hefty medical bill when you recover. Much worse still, you could be left without treatment if you’re not covered, which could see you suffering further injury or even death. If you’re unfortunate to die on holiday and don’t have travel insurance, then your next of kin will have to pay for your body to be transported home, which can cost a pretty penny and isn’t fair on your loved ones. Medical expenses cover is a recommended £2m.

Delay and/or cancellation
This year’s devastating bout of natural disasters and conflict in Japan and Libya, Egypt and Tunisia (respectively) are all we need to remind us that both Mother Nature is well and truly in control. And it doesn’t matter if you’re going nowhere near any of the latest troubled destinations – they can still have a huge effect on your travel plans. The recommended cancellation over is £3k (or however much your holiday cost, in its entirety), and the delay cover is tipped at £20 per hour for the initial 12 hours of the delay.

Theft or loss
Theft and loss is an incredibly common problem when abroad, because for some strange reason, we tend to let our guard down and do things that we simply wouldn’t at home. It must be the change in the air. We also carry around a lot more valuables and cash than we would tend to at home, which is why the recommended cover for cash is £250.

N.B. If you’re carrying around things like expensive cameras, sunglasses, laptops etc., you should make a point of checking what you’re covered for in case of loss or theft of these items, too. Often, the cover is very minimal. Because you’re on holiday, your belongings are often all kept in your handbag or rucksack, or all in one place, so when one thing goes missing, it’s often followed by a whole host of other valuable items.

Lost baggage
Last year, Gadling.com posted an article entitled “Airlines losing 3,000 bags – every hour of every day”. That’s right – it’s estimated that airlines lose 2.5 million bags every year, which equates to 3,000 every hour, 365 days a year. And these figures came from a very reliable source – SITA, an operator of airline and airport computer systems, which used data from the World Traveller Luggage Database. Recommended minimum baggage cover is £1,5k.

Airline failure and end supplier failure
The unhealthy economy in recent years has seen a huge number of airlines and tour operators go into liquidation. If this happens to your airline, tour operator or hotel (group) and you’ve neglected to get travel insurance (or an adequate level of cover), then you’ll simply lose not only your holiday, but all the money you spent on it, too. Even scarier, if you’re on holiday when the company goes bust, you’ll have to pay out of your own pocket to replace the service of the company that went down.

So don’t risk it all – get your travel insurance sorted, check the policy details before you go, and make sure you take copies of your insurance policy with you everywhere you go, in case the worst happens.

The focus of the investigation was initially solely on the father. The parents are currently separating and the police assumed that the children would not be found alive and began searching his parent’s finca and trawling the Guadalquivir river. In the last few days, at least three witnesses have come forward of their accord to tesitify that they had, in fact, seen the father looking frantically for the lost children.

The investigation has now gone International and there is renewed hope that the children may be still be alive. Any information or sightings should be passed onto the police hotline in Cordoba (34) 957 594 500 or by calling the normal emergency  number – 091 – from Spain

The 4th Century Iberian bust was discovered at the end of the 19th Century by a Spanish farmer near an archaeological site in L’Alcúdia.

Salvador Dali is famously quoted as refering to her as ‘the most beautiful women in the World’.

In the study the statue is a clear winner with a staggering 130,000 votes, so far, beating other historical figures such as Isabel de Borbón, who was renowned for her beauty, as well as well-known TV presenters from today.

There are some reports in the Spanish press that the website may have been hacked and FHM is thinking of starting the competition again.

Unfairly in my opinion, she certainty has my vote.

Including the best new comer and song of the year for ‘Solamente tu’.

This the first time a Malaga born musician has been nominated for so many prestigious awards.

Shakira, Ricky Martin and Maná also have three nominations each this year.

Pablo is said to be overjoyed with the nominations. The ceremony is to be held in Las Vegas on November 10.