Southern Europe attracts retirees

Older people who wish to spend their retirement abroad are mainly favouring southern European countries, according to an expert.

Allan Williams of London Metropolitan University stated that the region is popular because it has a very mild climate, reports Today's Zaman.

However, he said retirees also take various other issues into account when deciding where they would like to live, such as the lifestyle, culture and quality of the infrastructure.

Mr Williams added that although Spain is currently the most popular destination for older expatriates, property in Turkey is attracting more and more people.

He commented: "When we look at 2008 it is easy to say there will be busy migration traffic of the retired and that Turkey will host a considerable amount of this traffic."

Mr Williams has tipped Antalya to be a major hotspot for retirees in future years.

This comes after a poll of expatriates by NatWest revealed that the vast majority believe they are financially better off now that they live abroad.