When the Sunday Times placed Calabria in the number one position
for its 2007 review of the best beach holidays in the world,
everyone's attentions turned to the southernmost region of
mainland Italy dubbed 'the toe on the Italian boot.'

When the Sunday Times placed Calabria in the number one position for its 2007 review of the best beach holidays in the world, everyone's attentions turned to the southernmost region of mainland Italy dubbed 'the toe on the Italian boot.'

What they discovered is that Calabria is the most stunning and as yet least discovered region of Italy. Calabria is also believed to be one of the strongest aspects behind the nation suddenly turning Spain's fortunes on their head earlier this year when Italy came out in the number one position in a survey commissioned by SAGA into the country's favourite European holiday hotspots.

It seems the favourability of Italy is rising in line with the unfaltering emergence of the fortunes and fame of Calabria which, according to independent predictions and those of one leading Sunday Times' correspondent, is soon to be the most fashionable location in Italy in which to be seen, to holiday, live, invest in property and to soak up the year round sunshine.

If you're wondering how this spectacular region of Italy with its hundreds of kilometres of coastline, its rugged mountainous backdrop, fabulous Mediterranean climate, incredibly fascinating history and breathtaking natural landscape managed to remain hidden from you for so long - even in spite of the fact that global fashion legend Gianni Versace put it on the map when it became known that Calabria was his birthplace - it took the 'Ryanair' effect to make this sun-kissed and perfect corner of Italy affordably accessible.

Now, thanks to the expansion and promotion of the region's two airports, the arrival of cheap flight operators from across Ireland and the European mainland and the sustained and concerted efforts of local government to improve the overall infrastructure, accessibility and desirability of Calabria, the destination has arrived!

Supporting these expectations is the Borsa Internazionale del Turismo (the International Tourism Exchange) - at its February 2007 conference the body predicted that the current intensive promotion of Calabria's enormous tourism potential would result in genuine improvement of the regional economy and their predictions are further supported and expanded upon by Paul Owen, chief executive of the Association of International Property Professionals (AIPP) of which local market specialists Property Growth International is a member.

Mr Owen recently stated that the new investment area in terms of real estate in Italy is Calabria. In something of a reversal of the trend for potential overseas property buyers to look to emerging nations for affordable opportunities balanced with a manageable element of risk, Calabria is drawing strong, sustained favour and attention as it offers emerging market prices within the low risk, already established Italian marketplace.

Tam Stanley, director of Property Growth International, summed it up recently by commenting: "As Barclays Bank recently highlighted, the market in Italy and in particular in Calabria is flourishing as more people seek to invest in established markets where there is affordable opportunity and long term potential for strong profitability.

Where these pockets of opportunity exist, prices are rapidly rising - and in our experience at Property Growth International, so is the level of interest among our client base who are seeking the best located, highest grade properties in these locations which have the strongest appeal for maximum rental demand."

Belfast News Article - Publication Date: 01/11/2007