For the first time since the 1960's Turkey has toppled Spain as the most popular destination for UK holidaymakers, with holiday bookings to Turkey up a whopping 30%, according to recent figures from the Co-operative Travel company.

In an effort to wring every last penny of holiday value from our much depressed and devalued pound, now the delights of Dalaman, Bodrum, and Mamaris are luring UK visitors away from such staple holiday destinations as the Costa Blanca and Majorca.

Of the 20 million visitors expected to holiday in Turkey this year over 2 million will be British, most attracted by the great value on offer.

Getting there is easy with a huge number of budget airline flights to a variety of Turkish destinations daily. On arrival visitors are met by a hugely hospitable, beautiful, historic and richly varied country.

That Turkey offers such a sunny, attractive destination, with a low cost of living, not only draws in the holidaymakers, it also presents a vast range of great opportunities to those seeking long term property investment returns.

There is rich variety of high quality, affordable property in Turkey and a wide range of investment options. From villas on the sun-kissed Mediterranean coast to mountain chalets, (did you know Turkey has a rapidly growing ski tourism business?) the investment opportunities are almost endless.

With The Property Global Guide reporting achievable average annual letting yields of 6.47% and with capital appreciation at just over 7% Turkey doesn't offer some of the more hysterical figures (highs and lows!) of other more volatile international property markets. Instead, not with any great fanfare but as a combination of its accessibility, great quality property, wonderful climate, idyllic environment, rich history, charm and hospitality, Turkey has steadily and quietly established itself as a strong, long term property investment contender.

Turkey's time is now.

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As the G20 concludes discussions in London with the release of trillions of dollars aimed to kick-start the world economy and end ongoing economic uncertainty, the question remains for those with liquidity or access to funds - where are the best sources for a decent long-term return on investments?

Property investment offers one viable option - Dubai property investment in particular.

That might sound like a strange recommendation taking into account recent headlines concerning the fall in property prices, projects put on hold and redundancies. Certainly no property market anywhere in the world is escaping the corrections and re-evaluations that the credit crunch is enforcing.

Some locations, however, are faring better than others though. Gulf news report Dubai as in fact faring a lot better than most. In Europe and Japan sales have shrunk by 70 to 77 per cent, Australia and New Zealand even worse, with an 88 per cent decline.

Of the many advantages held by Dubai, apart from its location, its success as a tourist and trading hub and the commitment of the authorities to support its economy (for example the UAE Central Bank recently acquired $10bn worth of Dubai issued bonds to help support economy), perhaps the most interesting to investors is the potential for long-term tax-free income.

The tax regime in the UAE and in particular Dubai is famed for its generosity. With zero corporate, income and sales taxes and no personal taxes other than import duties (mostly at rates up to 10%), a 5% residential tax assessed on rental value and a 5% tax on hotel services and entertainment, investors stand to enjoy a tax free income on their properties - for life.

The small print is minimal; property owners are obliged to file their UAE income with tax returns in their resident country and may incur tax when taking money out of the country.

The Dubai property market, as a long-term source of tax-free returns certainly deserves close inspection.

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Rapidly establishing a reputation in its own right as a great destination and source of investment opportunities, Ras Al Khaimah is emerging from the shadows of other, better known Emirate States such as Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

The second emirate after Dubai to allow foreign property ownership Ras Al Khaimah offers a beautiful mountain and coastal landscape, and an attractive personality and character that sets itself apart from its neighbouring states. The northern-most city of the UAE, on the northern tip neighbouring Oman, RAK is smaller in both size and population than Dubai.

Buffered from the speed and severity of the property downturn across the UAE by the fact that it is still relatively emergent, Ras Al Khaimah was until recently, largely a second home or weekend destination for Dubai residents.

Ras Al Khaimah's long expanse of sun-kissed coast, warm seas, thermal springs, towering mountains and tranquility are proving a compelling draw. With property prices also more competitive than Dubai. RAK is emerging as a holiday and investment hotspot.

The infrastructure in RAK is well developed (even the once notorious electricity supply is being stabilised) and there are plenty of sophisticated and attractive developments on offer.

Al Hamra Village with natural lagoon and seaside location is only a 90-minute commute from Dubai with other prestigious resorts such as The Cove and Mina Al Arab. The man-made Al Marjan Island - a collection of five man-made islands located 27 kilometres southwest of the town centre of Ras Al Khaimah - is also attracting the attention of international investors - especially with exciting award winning developments such as Pacific. Al Marjan Island covers an area of over 2.7 million square metres will be worth over $1.8 billion USD.

For those seeking a more serene Gulf experience or looking to take advantage of the emerging tax-free property investment opportunities in the UAE, look no further than Ras Al Khaimah.

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It's a case of supply and demand. The greater the demand in relation to supply, the higher the cost - a simple fact of economic life that has seen consistent population growth in Dubai and the subsequent need for high quality accommodation yield years of great returns for overseas property investors.

While the recent worldwide recession may have cooled the ardour of many overseas investors and slowed the manic pace of development in Dubai, there are still many reasons to feel positive about property investment in the region. Sustained by its youthful and largely expatriate population, superior liquidity levels in the region and new buyer friendly legislation designed to protect investors, Dubai's impressive growth rates and investor returns may not be what they once were but the possibility of a steady recovery and the opportunity to snap up property bargains are contributing to a nascent sense of optimism.

According to Gulf News, the country has fared far better than Europe, Japan or Australia in terms of the sales drop off. "The values per square foot for land are nearly the same today than at the beginning of 2008," says Mohammad Sultan Thani, Assistant Director-General of the Land Department.

The authorities in Dubai have also been quick to act to encourage overseas workers and employers to stay in the country with a recent decree preventing rental increases for those who were leasing properties in 2008 (residential and non-residential.)

The same factors that have catalysed Dubai's rapid growth in recent years are those that are already contributing to signs of recovery – it enjoys great tax advantages, with zero corporate, income and sales taxes, it's an investors dream with The World Economic Forum rating the United Arab Emirates, (in particularly Dubai) as one of the top 15 global destinations for foreign direct investment (FDI).

In fact now more than ever would be the ideal time to explore the many advantages that Dubai offers property investors – location, climate, infrastructure, tax regulations, security, stability, government investment, tourism development, long term growth projections and sheer value for money.

You may have missed the first profit waves in Dubai, be sure to be ready to catch the next.

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Recent 'price corrections' that have seen prices fall as much as 50% in what had become an unhealthily overheated market place offer new investors a great opportunity to get a foot on the Dubai property ladder. A combination of these corrections and new legislation designed to protect property buyers from some of the sharper practices employed by some of the less scrupulous property agents are setting the scene for a healthy and vibrant future.

Recent changes in the manner in which Dubai real estate development is managed have been applied to bolster confidence in Dubai property. The "freewheeling" days of Dubai real estate have been reigned in by strict controls on how developers can use money paid to them by off-plan property purchasers. In addition proper validation and certification for developers has been put in place.

The advice to new investors is simple. Avoid any developer without the proper new certification.

Under the Escrow/Trust Law administered by Dubai’s land department (DLD) and an agency called the Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA), all funds received by property developers have to be administered through an "escrow" or "trust" account, opened with a DLD approved financial institution. The developers must first though be registered with the registration process requiring that the developer satisfy a number of conditions before it can even open the trust account and begin selling property. Conditions include the filing of architectural plans and a financial statement in compliance with the new law.

Developers are also required to retain five per cent of the total value of the trust account for one year in order to cover claims for defects arising from the construction of the project.

This is good news for those looking to invest in Dubai property, bad news for those looking to take advantage of them.

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Dubai's real estate market has to a degree stood up to the ongoing speculation concerning its meltdown. Tales of its demise appear largely exaggerated. It's true that confidence could be higher, that some properties have seen prices tumble and that a number of projects are on hold. This is hardly surprising considering the scale of the worldwide economic downturn and much less noteworthy than some of the tales of woe emanating out of some of the less robust international business centres.

Any overcapacity or sizeable real estate price reductions might actually be seen as a necessary let off of supply and demand steam, allowing new potential investors an affordable piece of the property action, turning uncertainty into opportunity.

Dubai has established its position as a progressive regional business hub by cutting red tape, displaying tolerance to different cultures, and a relentless commitment to building the region’s finest infrastructure. Its foundations are strong and its future positive.

Finance ministers began 2009 by announcing expansionary budgets, with the hope that a spending round may kick-start their vulnerable domestic economies. Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Oman and Qatar have all announced massive capital expenditure plans for the year for major infrastructure projects. Dubai's government plans to increase public expenditure by around 20% in 2009 to stimulate the service-based economy.

As part of the combined process of stimulating the economy and revamping its regulatory system, Dubai is introducing real estate reform that will add more transparency and cohesiveness into the market. These reforms are aimed at making Dubai apartments and property more attractive for foreign investors and providing better deals to customers.

A co-operation pact between The Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) and the Dubai Department of Economic Development will regulate real estate licences and promote best practice.

Even better, two new laws have been put in place regulating the transfer and ownership of land, protecting investors from developers who fail to begin or finish projects on time.

It's encouraging to see the authorities taking such a constructive, long-term view of the Dubai property market and this is definitely a good thing for investors.

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Several countries around the world are focusing on increasing liquidity in their respective markets due to the global economic climate. Turkey has ensured this by launching the "wealth amnesty" program. This program basically ensures that all Turkish citizens are able to invest funds back into their country with ease. Such incentives and policies have ensured that Turkey is, to an extent, protected from the current global economic climate.

The "wealth amnesty" program targets the investments of expatriates abroad who are citizens of Turkey. Investments from Turkish expatriates living abroad have already reached TL 13.5 billion, since the launch of the program. These investments are expected to continue flowing into the country as more Turkish expatriates invest into the country before the program reaches its deadline.

The wealth amnesty program is thought to have been successful, as the capital of TL 13.5 billion meant that there was extra liquidity in Turkey. Investment into the country by expatriates was also previously encouraged by the government when they introduced tax cuts and financial incentives.

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RAK Minerals and Metals Investments (RMMI) has announced its interest in the Indonesian province of East Kalimantan's coal infrastructure, on behalf of the Government of Ras Al Khaimah. Investments are planned to be made by RMMI into the coal infrastructure in East Kalimantan.

The purpose of these investments, however, is not to only beneficial to Indonesia but also Ras Al Khaimah in return. This investment will satisfy the Emirate’s energy requirement, which is ever increasing because of the growth in Ras Al Khaimah's property market.

Ras Al Khaimah investment into Indonesian resources and coal industry related infrastructure will take place over the next five years. Investment into alternative forms of energy will significantly benefit a region that is quickly expanding.

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It was announced that by the end of last week the total value of land transactions reached a peak of AED 3.09 billion in Dubai. Investment into land sales exceeded AED 1.90 billion, which was more than half of the total transactions. This shows the continuing faith in the Dubai property market by those in the industry, especially during the current economic climate faced by nations around the world.

The Lands Department, responsible for overseeing Dubai property and land transactions, registered a total of 50 sales transactions by the end of this week. Out of these transactions the most valuable plot sold was for around AED 600 million in Dubai. Investments into various properties around the Emirate were also observed, as sales of over 760 apartments and villas took place.

Results showed a higher demand for Dubai apartments over villas, with 735 units sold being apartments as opposed to just 25 villas. In order to secure these investment opportunities, a total of 53 mortgages were registered, with 37 of these accounting towards providing finance for apartments and villas.

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Turkish and Iranian ministers of transportation have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) yesterday in Tehran. The Turkish transport minister also met with the Iranian president, during his visit to Tehran. Turkish Transportation Minister, Binali Yildirim, and his Iranian counterpart, Hamed Behbahani, finalised the MoU that will cover land, air and sea based transportation between the two countries.

Turkey and Iran's transportation officials will also aim to reach $20 billion in trade volume between the countries. In addition to signing the memorandum, Yildirim also met with Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmandinejad in Tehran, where they both discussed international and regional issues.

They spoke about various avenues of increasing annual trade volume, improving transport cooperation and increasing communication between Turkey and Iran.

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Wilmslow Company Named Best Company to Work for in North West

Select Property, the UK's leading off-plan overseas property developer, has been voted the 8th best small company to work for in the annual 'Sunday Times Top 100 Best Companies to Work For' 2009. Select Property was a first time entrant in the awards which took place at Battersea Park in London last week.

Mark Stott, CEO, Select Property: "This is an outstanding achievement for Select Property and we are delighted to have gained 8th position and 1st throughout the North West in our debut entry into the prestigious Sunday Times 100 Best Companies list. It is thanks to a special team of people and their dedication in making our business an exciting and remarkable place to work that we have created one of the best companies in the UK."

The 100 Best Companies to Work For recognises those companies applauded by their employees for providing an environment which sees them appreciated and rewarded for their commitment in the organisation. A survey was undertaken to gain the opinions of over 20,000 employees from hundreds of businesses around Britain to unveil the companies which truly are the best.

Select Property ranked an impressive 2nd place in both the 'Fair Deal' and 'Leadership' categories, based on employee satisfaction with pay and benefits, and faith within the head of the company, beating leading companies Softcat and Colbalt Recruitment. Select also featured in the Top 5 for 'Getting a buzz from work', as well as in the Top 10 for 'Best for Training' and 'Potential fulfilled'.

Mark Stott commented: "To have built such a strong team of individuals is a credit to the company. Despite the recent downturn in market conditions, all employees have proved they have the faith, passion and drive required to adapt in such challenging times. We have recently adapted our business model to make overseas property ownership possible from as little as £16.57 a month, and every employee has immersed themselves in this new offering. I really could not have asked for more from the team."

Select Property has taken their knowledge and experience of the overseas property market to create an exciting offering realigned to the current needs of consumers. Select Ownership, a part ownership scheme, provides a new way to own property abroad – making the cost of ownership far cheaper yet delivering the same lifestyle benefits and financial rewards.

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Ras Al Khaimah Traffic and Licensing Department has announced their initiative of recently investing into expanding the emirate’s main road. Al Faisal Street, which is the backbone of the Ras Al Khaimah’s road network, will soon be expanded into a three-lane dual carriageway.

The infrastructure expansion initiative will see the main entry road into Ras Al Khaimah with an addition of a lane each way. This is evident of the popularity of Ras Al Khaimah amongst the other Emirates, as it witnesses an increasing influx of visitors over the years. This also demonstrates Ras Al Khaimah as a rapidly emerging Emirate that embarks on continuous initiatives of improving itself.

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Dubai’s total Land transactions reached AED 860.51 million on the 25^th of February. The Dubai Land Department reported this and added that out of these transactions more than AED806.65 million was contributed by sales. The most valuable plot sold by the Lands Department on the day was worth approximately AED 200 million.

Dubai Lands Department stated that during this period these transactions also included mortgages worth AED53.85 million. This also included 56 mortgages worth AED21.05 million, which were registered on villas and apartments.

Villas and apartments in freehold areas also saw 86 sales transactions taking place. Out of these 86, transactions worth AED 62.13 million were for apartments, whilst a transaction worth AED1.95 was for a villa.

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Downward spiraling interest rates and rapidly falling property prices are forcing investors to look further a field in pursuit of worthwhile returns on their funds.

Against the backdrop of recent high profile banking and investment company insolvencies and the ongoing crisis throughout the financial markets, investors are now seeking security as well as high returns. Safe, recession proof investments that still yield strong returns.

One of the most attractive locations for high return investments over recent years has been Dubai. Since 1971 when Dubai became, one of the 7 Emirates of the UAE (United Arab Emirates) the country has experienced rapid and dramatic development.

Dubai has one of the most dynamic construction markets in the world with more than $1.1trn of projects underway. Industry growth of 29.6% is predicted up until 2010. The primary reason for this massive construction spend lies in the fact that Dubai’s population over recent years has been growing at a phenomenal rate. Dubai is in fact the fast growing city on the world with official figures indicating that 25,000 people are moving there every month.

Anyone who has purchased investment property in Dubai is likely to have seen a very healthy return. The real estate market has witnessed unprecedented growth since 2003, the huge influx of foreign workers (90% of Dubai’s 1.37 million population consists of ex-pats) helping to create strong demand for a wide range of property.

The outlook for impressive property investment returns in Dubai remains healthy and boils down to a simple economic principle - supply and demand. The vast number of immigrants overwhelming the available amount of property with the rapid economic expansion pushing prices and investment returns ever upwards.

Long-term investment possibilities are plentiful. At this time of economic uncertainty and the need for investment security matched to good returns, few locations even come close to Dubai as a worthwhile business opportunity.

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Ras Al Khaimah Free Trade Zone (RAK FTZ) has recently announced that the free zone has achieved a significant growth of more than 50 percent. The free zone also realised a growth of 13.30 percent in the amount of new business licenses registered from 2007 to 2008.

Ras Al Khaimah Free Zone has demonstrated the continual maximisation of business growth through the introduction of innovation and technology. The free zone currently is home to more than 5,700 companies that contribute a total of AED10 billion to Ras Al Khaimah’s prosperous economy.

It is estimated that in the future AED7.3 billion is planned to be invested into Ras Al Khaimah free trade zone. This shows the Emirate’s effort in ensuring its continuous growth. RAK FTZ currently ranks as the 17^th in the top 100 economic zones globally by the FDi Magazine, which is part of The Financial Times Business Group.

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