There were 186,950 visitors registered in the hotel establishments of the A.C. of the Basque Country in September 2008; more than 7,000 fewer visitors than in the same month of the previous year resulting in a 4% decrease, according to Eustat data. The number of visitors decreased by 7% in Álava, 3% in Gipuzkoa and in Bizkaia, compared with the same month of 2007.

The number of visitors from within Spain was up by 1% with respect to September 2007. This number was down in Bizkaia (-3%), remained steady in Gipuzkoa (0%) and increased in Álava (15%). The number of overseas visitors decreased in the three provinces: Álava (-42%), Gipuzkoa (-7%) and Bizkaia (-3%), which resulted in an overall decrease of 11% for the A.C. of the Basque Country.

There was an increase in the number of visitors from Asturias, Castilla y León, Aragón and Navarra, while there was a decrease in visitors from the Canary Islands, Madrid and Catalonia, primarily. As regards the number of overseas visitors, special mention should be made in the increase in the number from Holland, Greece, Luxembourg and Portugal, while there were fewer visitors from Germany, Belgium, Ireland and the United Kingdom, among others.

Registered overnight stays in September 2008 totalled356,133, which was 5% down on September of the previous year, in other words, there were 18,000 fewer overnight stays. The year-on-year performance of overnight stays was negative in the three territories: they fell by 4% in Bizkaia, by 5% in Gipuzkoa and 8% in Álava.

The average length of stay was down from 1.93 days in September of the previous year to 1.90 in September 2008 for the A.C. of the Basque Country as a whole. It decreased in Álava from 1.75 to 1.74 days, in Bizkaia from 1.83 to 1.82 and in the case of Gipuzkoa, it fell from the 2.12 days average stay in September 2007 to 2.07 days last September.

The occupancy rate by bed fell by 8%, and dropped from 51.72% in September of last year to 47.76% this September. The occupancy rate by room fell by 9%. Both occupancy rates decreased in the three provinces to different degrees.

Rural tourism: The number of visitors and overnight stays rose by 6% and 7% respectively.

There were 10,676 visitors registered in September in rural tourism establishments in the A. C. of the Basque Country; 6% more than the same month of last year, increasing by 28% in Álava, 2% in Bizkaia and in Gipuzkoa. The increase in the number of visitors from within Spain was 2% in the A.C. of the Basque Country: they increased in Álava (23%) and fell by 5% in Bizkaia and by 1% in Gipuzkoa. The number of overseas visitors increased by 38% throughout the A.C of the Basque Country, with the number up in the three provinces: Álava (136%), Bizkaia (38%) and Gipuzkoa (24%).

Overnight stays in rural tourism establishments of the A.C. of the Basque Country totalled 30,032 in September, which was up by 7% compared to the same month of previous year. The year-on-year growth rate was positive in Álava (16%) and in Gipuzkoa (9%) and negative in Bizkaia (-2%).

The average length of stay per visitor in the A.C. of the Basque Country overall increased with respect to September 2007, going from 2.79 days a year ago to 2.81 days in September 2008.

Table 1: Monthly Results

Source: EUSTAT