Press release 21/08/2023
SURVEY ON TOURIST ESTABLISHMENTS. Hotels. July 2023
This press release has been revised in the data related to the Grand Départ event of the Tour de France due to an error detected in the composition process of the same
Total overnight stays in hotel establishments of the Basque Country in July 2023 rose to 803,887, 4.9% more than in July 2022
Visitors from abroad, with an increase of 10.7%, exceeded those from within Spain and accounted for 53.4% of the total
In July 2023, visitor numbers at hotel establishments in the Basque Country rose by 2.9% and overnight stays by 4.9% in year-on-year terms, according to Eustat data. The 394,297 registered visitors gave rise to a total of 803,887 overnight stays.
Visitors from abroad accounted for 53.4% of visitors and 53.9% of overnight stays, following rises of 10.7% in the case of visitors and 12.3% in that of overnight stays.
Visitors, overnight stays and average stay in hotel establishments in the Basque Country. July 2023
| | Visitors | Overnight stays | Average stay |
| | 07/2023 | m/m-12 (%) | 07/2023 | m/m-12 (%) | 07/2023 | 07/2022 |
| BASQUE COUNTRY | 394.297 | 2,9 | 803.887 | 4,9 | 2,04 | 2,00 |
| State origin | 183.848 | -4,8 | 370.856 | -2,5 | 2,02 | 1,97 |
| Foreign origin | 210.449 | 10,7 | 433.031 | 12,3 | 2,06 | 2,03 |
| | | | | | | |
| Araba/Álava | 58.425 | 13,3 | 108.703 | 18,3 | 1,86 | 1,78 |
| State origin | 34.425 | 20,1 | 66.860 | 21,4 | 1,94 | 1,92 |
| Foreign origin | 24.000 | 4,8 | 41.843 | 13,7 | 1,74 | 1,61 |
| Vitoria-Gasteiz | 45.011 | 18,7 | 85.201 | 24,0 | 1,89 | 1,81 |
| | | | | | | |
| Bizkaia | 178.324 | 2,3 | 348.400 | 3,4 | 1,95 | 1,93 |
| State origin | 85.542 | -11,2 | 165.798 | -9,2 | 1,94 | 1,90 |
| Foreign origin | 92.782 | 19,0 | 182.602 | 18,2 | 1,97 | 1,98 |
| Bilbao | 117.819 | 1,4 | 231.470 | 3,3 | 1,96 | 1,93 |
| | | | | | | |
| Gipuzkoa | 157.548 | 0,1 | 346.784 | 2,9 | 2,20 | 2,14 |
| State origin | 63.881 | -6,3 | 138.198 | -3,3 | 2,16 | 2,10 |
| Foreign origin | 93.667 | 5,0 | 208.586 | 7,4 | 2,23 | 2,18 |
| Donostia / San Sebastian | 94.064 | 4,7 | 219.876 | 4,3 | 2,34 | 2,35 |
m/m12 Rate of year-on-year change in the last observed month (m) compared to the same month of the previous year (m-12)
Date August 21, 2023
Source: Eustat Tourist accommodating establishments survey
In Álava, there were 58,425 visitors and 108,703 overnight stays, 13.3% and 18.3% more than in June of the previous year. In Bizkaia, growth reached 2.3% in the case of visitors and 3.4% in that of overnight stays, with a total of 178,324 visitors and 348,400 overnight stays. In Gipuzkoa, 157,548 visitors were recorded in June 2023 (0.1% more than in June 2022) and there were 346,784 overnight stays (2.9% more than in the same month of the previous year).
By capitals, visitor numbers rose by 18.7% in Vitoria-Gasteiz, 4.7% in San Sebastián and 1.4% in Bilbao. Likewise, the increase in overnight stays compared to July of the previous year reached 24.0% in Vitoria-Gasteiz, 4.3% in San Sebastián and 3.3% in Bilbao.
The average length of stay in hotel establishments in the Basque Country during July 2023 was 2.04 days, slightly above the 2.00 days observed in the same month of the previous year. The average length of stay refers to the number of days that, on average, travellers remain in each of the establishments where they stay overnight, and not the total length of their stay in the Basque Country.
Bed occupancy rates and profitability in hotel establishments in the Basque Country. July 2023
| | Occupancy rates (%) | Profitability |
| | by seats | by rooms | ADR (euros) | RevPAR (euros) |
| | 07/2023 | p.p. * | 07/2023 | p.p. * | 07/2023 | m/m-12 (%) | 07/2023 | m/m-12 (%) |
| BASQUE COUNTRY | 72,8 | 0,8 | 82,0 | 1,3 | 128,43 | 8,6 | 105,36 | 10,3 |
| | | | | | | | | |
| Araba/Álava | 68,0 | 5,1 | 79,8 | 4,4 | 88,53 | 5,7 | 70,68 | 11,9 |
| Vitoria-Gasteiz | 69,5 | 6,2 | 84,2 | 5,0 | 76,14 | 8,0 | 64,08 | 14,9 |
| | | | | | | | | |
| Bizkaia | 68,9 | 0,7 | 78,4 | 1,4 | 105,33 | 8,3 | 82,55 | 10,2 |
| Bilbao | 73,6 | 1,4 | 82,5 | 2,2 | 116,12 | 8,4 | 95,74 | 11,3 |
| | | | | | | | | |
| Gipuzkoa | 79,1 | -0,5 | 87,1 | 0,1 | 165,37 | 10,1 | 144,00 | 10,3 |
| Donostia / San Sebastian | 84,2 | -0,8 | 90,8 | 0,2 | 208,64 | 7,6 | 189,39 | 7,9 |
p.p.*= difference in percentage points on the same month of the previous year
m/m12 Rate of year-on-year change in the last observed month (m) compared to the same month of the previous year (m-12)
Date August 21, 2023
Source: Eustat Tourist accommodating establishments survey
The occupancy rate for the Basque Country as a whole in July stood at 72.8% in the case of beds and 82.0% in that of rooms. In relation to July 2022, the increases stood at 0.8 and 1.3 percentage points, respectively.
The average daily rate (applied to a double room with a bathroom offered as room only accommodation) or ADR was 128.43 euros in July 2023 in the Basque Country, which was a rise of 8.6% in respect of July 2022. The ADR stood at 165.37 euros in Gipuzkoa, 105.33 euros in Bizkaia and 88.53 euros in Álava. By provincial capital, the differences were greater, given that the ADR reached 208.64 euros in San Sebastián, 116.12 euros in Bilbao and lastly, 76.14 euros in Vitoria-Gasteiz.
The RevPar, or average revenue per available room, was 105.36 euros in hotel establishments in the Basque Country in July 2023, 10.3% higher than that obtained in the same month of the previous year.
Numerous events were held in the Basque Country in July 2023, with a positive impact on the bed occupancy rate in hotel establishments. For the first weekend of the month, when the Grand Départ of the Tour de France was held, on Friday (30 June), Saturday and Sunday (1 and 2 July) night, the number of overnight stays by visitors from abroad rose to 42,444. This represents 61.3% of overnight stays recorded during those three days, 7.4 percentage points above that observed for the month as a whole. In Bizkaia, 65.4% of the 30,064 overnight stays were visitors from abroad, while in Gipuzkoa visitors from abroad accounted for 18,307 overnight stays, which represented 62.5%. In Álava, however, there were more overnight stays by visitors from the rest of Spain, 54.8% of the total 9,880 overnight stays. The occupancy rate per room reached, on the central day of the Tour, Saturday 1 July, 83.3% in the Basque Country as a whole, in Bizkaia it was 80.8% (83.9% in Bilbao), in Gipuzkoa 84.2% (87.9% in San Sebastian) and in Álava it reached 88.9% (91.7% in Vitoria-Gasteiz).
On 7, 8 and 9 July, during the Bilbao BBK Live festival, the bed occupancy rate reached 83.0% in Bilbao, half a percentage point above that recorded for the month as a whole.
In Vitoria-Gasteiz, 89.1% of room occupancy rate was reached in hotel establishments for 15 and 16 July, the weekend when Ironman Vitoria-Gasteiz was held, almost 5 percentage points higher than the month as a whole.
In turn, during the five days (from 21 to 25 July) when Jazzaldia de San Sebastián was held, the room occupancy rate reached 90.8%, which coincides with that observed for the month as a whole, when there were almost 220,000 overnight stays in the city’s hotel establishments.
Informative note
The coverage of the ETR for Hotels in July 2023 was 89.7%. Eustat would like to thank all establishments that participated in this survey for their effort.
Data browser for tourism in the Basque Country. Hotel establishments
For further information:
Eustat - Euskal Estatistika Erakundea / Basque Statistics Institute
C/ Donostia-San Sebastián, 1 01010 Vitoria-Gasteiz
Press Service: servicioprensa@eustat.eus Tel.: 945 01 75 62