Press release dated 22/06/2011

SURVEY ON TOURIST ESTABLISHMENTS (EETR) MAY 2011

Number of visitors to the Basque Country rose by 1% in May 2011

Number of overnight stays was up by 1% compared to May 2010

There were 209,472 visitors registered in the hotel establishments of the Basque Country in May 2011, 1,682 up on the same month of the previous year, in other words, a 1% increase, according to Eustat data. The number of visitors rose by 2% in Álava and 1% in Gipuzkoa, but there was no noticeable fluctuation in Bizkaia (0%).

The number of visitors from within Spain was down 1% and the number of overseas visitors rose by 4%. The number of visitors from within the State fell in the three provinces at identical rates (-1%). Foreign visitors were up in number in the three provinces, with increases of 10% in Álava, 5% in Gipuzkoa and 2% in Bizkaia.

With regard to visitors from within Spain, there was a greater percentage increase in those from Madrid, Aragón, the Balearic Islands, Castilla-La Mancha, Navarra and from the Basque Autonomous Community, while those from Catalonia, Andalusia, Comunidad Valenciana and Galicia, among others, fell in number. As far as the foreigner visitors were concerned, there was a rise in the number of visitors from the USA-Canada, Central and South America, the Netherlands, Italy and those from non-EU Europe, among others, while the sharpest drop was among those from the United Kingdom, Portugal and Ireland.

Registered overnight stays in May 2011 totalled 375,481, which was 1% up on the same month of the previous year, in other words, there were 5,038 more overnight stays. The year-on-year performance of overnight stays was positive in Álava, where there was a 3% increase and in Gipuzkoa, up 2%, while the figure for Bizkaia remained practically unchanged on the figures for the previous year (0%).

The average length of stay increased slightly compared to May 2010: it rose from an average stay of 1.83 days in May 2010 to 1.84 days in May this year for the Basque Country overall. By provinces, it rose in Álava and Gipuzkoa and it remained unchanged in Bizkaia. It went from 1.73 days in Álava in May 2010 to 1.76 days in the same month this year and from 1.84 days in Gipuzkoa in May 2010 to 1.87 days in 2011. In Bizkaia, the average stay remained steady at 1.85 days both in May 2010 and in May 2011.

The bed occupancy rate was up 3% to 45.61% in May 2011. It should be noted that this increase affected Álava and Gipuzkoa, where occupancy was up 8% and 4%, respectively, to a rate of 40.31% in Álava and 48.81% in Gipuzkoa. In Bizkaia, the bed occupancy rate barely improved, as it rose from 44.93% in May 2010 to 45.03% in the same month of this year.



RURAL TOURISM

The number of visitors was up 1% and overnight stays remained stable (0%) in the Basque Country, compared to May 2010

The number of visitors in rural tourism establishments of the Basque Country totalled 9,850 in May, which was up by 1% with respect to the same month of the previous year, with positive results only in Gipuzkoa, where it rose by 21%, while there were downturns of 16% and 14% in Álava and Bizkaia, respectively. The number of visitors from within Spain fell by 1% in the Basque Country: they rose by 17% in Gipuzkoa, while they fell by 19% in Gipuzkoa and by 10% in Álava. The number of overseas visitors decreased by 15% throughout the Basque Country, as there was a significant drop in the number in Álava, it rose significantly in Bizkaia in and Gipuzkoa in percentage terms.

There were 21,359 overnight stays in rural tourism establishments of the Basque Country in May, which was practically the same figure for the previous year, with year-on-year negative growth being recorded in Álava and Bizkaia, where they fell by 6% and 7%, respectively. They rose by 8% in Gipuzkoa.

The average length of stay per visitor decreased in the Basque Country overall with respect to May 2010, dropping from 2.19 days a year ago to 2.17 days this past May. There was an increase in Álava of 12% as the average stay rose from 2.03 days in May 2010 to 2.27 days in May 20111. In Bizkaia, it was up from an average stay of 2.07 days in May last year to 2.24 this May, and it fell from 2.36 days in May 2010 to 2.09 days in May 2011 in Gipuzkoa.

The bed occupancy rate fell by 3%, down from 17.61% occupancy to 17.12%, as a result of the decreases recorded in Álava (-13%) and Bizkaia (-8%), while there was a 5% increase in Gipuzkoa.



For further information:

Basque Statistics Office C/ Donostia-San Sebastián, 1 01010 Vitoria-Gasteiz Tel: +34-945-01 75 00 Fax:+34-945-01 75 01 E-mail: eustat@eustat.es Contact: Gerardo Pérez Aja Tel:+34-945-01 75 06 Fax:+34-945-01 75 01 Further press releases on EETR - Survey on Tourist Establishments of the Basque Country Databank on EETR - Survey on Tourist Establishments of the Basque Country