After winning for the last 2 years on the trot, Istanbul has once again be named the property  investment hotspot of Europe by PricewaterhouseCoopers, in its emerging trends in European Real Estate report for 2012. But this year Istanbul has won with a clean sweep.

The PWC report asks respondents (mainly institutional investors and other at the top of the European real estate food chain) to rate cities in three separate categories: existing property performance, acquisitions, and development opportunities. Last year Istanbul was ranked number one for acquisitions and development opportunities, but beaten by Munich on the performance of existing properties.

In the breakdown PWC named the retail sector as really whetting investors’ appetites, not least because of the 15% growth in consumer spending last year but also because “it’s where international brands want to be”, the report said. However most of the other sectors, including the hotel and apartment sectors weren’t far behind.

A detailed table shows that the retail sector was recommended as the best for investment by 34 respondents, followed by 26 for the office sector and 20 for both the apartment and hotel sectors. Just 8 respondents said the industrial sector was best.

Of course, PWC is focussed on the commercial property market, but you will struggle to find an example of a commercial property market doing well, that isn’t breeding a good performance in the residential sector. Strong commercial demand means businesses doing well, which means more employment and better wages, which increases residential demand. Of course, with its rising population and strong economic growth residential demand in Istanbul is already known to be high anyway. Keep up the good work.

One of the major advantages of booking package holidays is that you often only have to pay a low deposit, with the balance being due a couple of months or so before you depart.

This gives you the security of knowing you have your holiday fully booked up, without having to find all the money up front months beforehand. If you book far enough in advance there are often special deals giving you money of holidays for the following season.

It’s up to you as to whether you choose to go self-catering, bed-and-breakfast, half-board or fully all-inclusive. All of these options have their benefits, and it’s really down to individual choice and how you intend to spend your holiday. If you prefer spending all your time in one resort, then it may be worth your while looking at fully inclusive package holidays which include all flights, transfers, accommodation and all meals and drinks.

If you want to get out and about then it may not be worth your while spending the extra on a fully inclusive break. One of the nicest things about booking package holidays is that someone else has done all the legwork for you, and you simply have to choose the time you are going and the destination and don’t have to worry about all the time-consuming and boring little details.

In a way this is a good thing as it makes it much easier to find somewhere a little off the beaten track to visit, and has certainly made it a lot easier for many holiday home owners to visit their properties for a long weekend or a short break.

It is also generally pretty easy to get into the cities by using shuttle buses, railways or taxis. The no-frills services offered by such airlines help keep costs low, and when the flight is often only one or two hours long it’s a small sacrifice to make for having bought the cheapest flights.

Lots of the airlines tend to have special deals and offer incredibly low prices, and it can often pay to book as early as possible to find the cheapest flights, as they tend to go up in price the nearer you book to the departure date.

Lots of sites also offer the option of booking hotels and car hire at the same time, and will often have discounts on airport parking so you have the opportunity of building a tailor-made holiday. It can be a great way to book your skiing holiday, summer holiday or simply a city break for a quick break away and can give you more cash to spend while away.

Istanbul is an intriguing city where East and West meet, and is perfect for a city break with numerous sightseeing opportunities, plenty of restaurants and bars and lots of designer shops. One of the highlights of a trip to Istanbul has to be shopping in the Grand Bazaar which is one of the oldest markets in the world.

It’s also possible to find lots of cheap holidays to Turkey around the Turkish Riviera, with Antalya being a popular destination. It’s hardly surprising as the resort enjoys 300 days of sunshine annually, and there’s plenty to see and do as the town is set around an ancient Roman harbour and old town, and also offers ample opportunities for those who enjoy watersports.

Alanya is perfect for those seeking a relaxing holiday as it is renowned for its gorgeous beaches. It also has a number of luxury resorts, and if you’re very lucky you might find one of these on special offer. Marmaris is the ideal resort for those who like to party on holiday and it also has one of the largest yachting marinas in Turkey.

The resort isn’t without culture as it has its own museum and castle. You’re likely to find lots of offers for cheap holidays to Turkey all year round, although it’s worth bearing in mind that the summer months can be very hot on the coast. If you want to do a lot of sightseeing you may be better off planning your trip for autumn or spring.

Your holiday quote should include all surcharges and taxes, and it’s best to book through an ABTA bonded travel agent so you know your booking is protected.

One of the best ways to get cheap holidays is to book last-minute, as late deals often offer terrific value for money so long as you don’t really mind where you go and are able to travel at the drop of a hat.

It’s a great way to end up visiting a European country that you may not have considered before and is perfect for finding bed-and-breakfast or self-catering deals, although you may come across all-inclusive holidays offering even more value for money. Some of the top places to find cheap holiday deals are still the perennial favourite, Spain.

Other top destinations include the Canary Islands, with flights available from major airports up and down the country. Looking around for the cheapest holiday deals might also enable you to find a better class of accommodation for a reasonable cost so you can have more luxury for less money.

Savings can be anything from 5% upwards, and some cheap holidays can cost as much as 40% less than the brochure price, giving you greater spending power while away, or more money to spend booking your next holiday.

According to travel company giant Thomas Cook, booking an all inclusive holidays in Europe can also be cheaper than picking a resort at home, and of course the weather is almost guaranteed to be better.

They argue that picking all inclusive holidays in Europe is a far cheaper option for families looking to get away during the summer than staying at home.

According to their calculations a week’s holiday for a family of four in Majorca would cost around £263 less than a week’s holiday in North Devon. Although UK tourism chiefs think their calculations are flawed, this type of holiday is certainly had to beat.

All-inclusive breaks will typically include three meals a day, all drinks and snacks and often a range of activities, offering value which is hard to ignore and booking this way also avoids any nasty surprises over currency fluctuations.

It also avoids overspending on credit cards while away and that feeling of dread when the bill finally slips through the letterbox. Lots of resorts throughout Europe offer this kind of deal, and it’s sometimes possible to find great last-minute deals saving even more money.

The Costas are still one of the most popular destinations, especially as resort prices have fallen during recent years which is partially helped by the value of the pound against the euro.