Europe is the most popular destination in the world for foreign tourists.

Its metropolises are attracting ever more travellers, especially from the United States and Asia, where an emerging middle class can pick and choose where to visit thanks to an expanding travel network.

This boost to the continent’s tourist sector has coincided with political crises such as the attempted coup in Turkey and a number of terrorist attacks that have resulted in sharp shifts between tourist hotspots over the short-term. Cities that have been affected by terrorism, such as Paris, Brussels and even Istanbul, are recording declining figures, while Mediterranean destinations, including Spain, Portugal and Italy, are enjoying growing popularity.

Overall, however, the hotel sector has grown in almost every European country in the last few years and this has been reflected in the investment market.

Hotels are increasingly being recognised as an important element of portfolio