UK passport chaos threatens Costa del Sol tourism

BRITAIN’S passport crisis could leave a huge dent in Spain’s tourism coffers this summer as its number one market gives foreign travel a swerve.   While the passport office battles to shift the massive processing backlog, more and more Brits are playing it safe and planning to holiday at home. Added to the rise in ‘staycations’ in the UK, Spain could miss out big-time on British visitors who are usually the backbone of its tourist economy. According to the Office of National Statistics’ International Passenger Survey, British foreign travel fell by 17% between 2008 and 2013, and is likely to see a further 3% drop this year. Dan Yates, founder of UK camping website Pitchup.com, has reported a huge surge in demand for his 5,000 properties.