The Spanish government is promoting new holiday styles in a bid to attract higher spending tourists in the face of falling visitor numbers during the first half of 2009.

The government has dedicated more than 1.4 billion U.S. dollars to campaigns such as "A Taste of Spain", aimed at promoting rural and gastronomic tourism in the interior area and northern Spain.

The government estimated that the measure would attract more middle-class visitors, who tend to spend more than those who come on all-inclusive package deals with the goal of just lying on the beach.

This year, tourists have so far spent almost 21 million Euros (30 million U.S. dollars), down 7.6 percent from 2008, according to figures released by the ministry of tourism on Friday.

Tourist numbers were also down, falling 11.4 percent to 23.6 million in the first half of 2009 compared to 2008.

The biggest fall, 16.3 per cent, was the number of visitors from Great Britain, where the severe economic crisis and a drop in the value of the pound were the main factors.

The Spanish government estimated this trend would continue over the traditionally busy summer period, with the number of tourists falling up to 10 percent in July and August.

Spain is currently the third largest tourist destination in the world. Tourism accounts for 11 percent of employment in the country.

(Xinhua News Agency August 8, 2009)