Hotel establishments in the A.C. of the Basque Country registered
117,516 entries by visitors in November 2002, 12,000 more than in the same month
the previous year, which represents an 11% increase, according to Eustat data.
The number of visitors increased 23% in Bizkaia and 7% in Gipuzkoa, and fell
slightly in Alava (-1%).
Entries by foreign visitors increased 13%, two percent higher
than the growth registered for state visitors (11%). The number of foreign visitors
increased substantially in Gipuzkoa (21%) and Alava (18%), and more moderately
in Bizkaia (6%). State visitors increased substantially in Bizkaia (30%) and
also, to a lesser degree though, in Gipuzkoa (4%), but fell in Alava (-4%).
Among state visitors there was an increase in numbers from
practically all the autonomous communities, with the exception of Castile-La
Mancha and the Community of Valencia, with a high volume from the Communities
of Madrid and Catalonia. Among foreign visitors the most important increases
corresponded to visitors from France, the UK, Italy and Portugal, with a reduction
in visitors from the USA-Canada, Latin America and Germany.
Overnight stays registered in November 2002 came to 228,890,
i.e. 12,500 more than the same month the previous year, which represents a 6%
increase in percentage terms. The number of overnight stays grew substantially
in Bizkaia (23%), a much more reduced growth in Gipuzkoa (2%), while in Alava
there was a 15% decrease.
The length of the average stay by visitors in November 2002
fell from 2.05 days the previous year to 1.95 last November.
The level of occupancy by places fell slightly by 1% in the
whole of the A.C. of the Basque Country and level of occupancy by rooms decreased
more so, by 3%. This double decrease is based on the data for the province of
Alava.
The number of visitors to agrotourism establishments in the
A.C. of the Basque Country was 5,340 in November 2002, 27% more than the previous
year, increasing 64% in Alava, 39% in Gipuzkoa and remaining stable in Bizkaia
(0%). The increase registered for all the A.C. of the Basque Country is due
to state visitors who increased in numbers by 29%, while foreign visitors fell
in numbers by 11%.
The number of overnight stays came to 12,199, 13% more than
in November 2001, this increase affecting the provinces of Alava (29%) and Gipuzkoa
(26%), as in the province of Bizkaia there was an 8% decrease.
The average stay fell 11% for the whole of the A.C. of the
Basque Country, with a general effect on all three provinces :Alava (-21%),
Gipuzkoa (-10%) and Bizkaia ( -8%), as a consequence of a greater increase in
the number of visitors than in the number of overnight stays.