Hotel establishments in the A.C. of the Basque Country registered 163,337 entries by visitors in July 2003, according to Eustat data. These figures reflect a 7% increase with regard to the same month the year before, i.e. almost 11,000 more visitors than in July 2002. Entries by visitors evolved differently in the three provinces. The highest inter-annual increase corresponded to Bizkaia (11%), followed by Gipuzkoa (8%), while in Alava there was a 1% reduction.

Entries by state visitors increased by 12% in the whole of the A.C. of the Basque Country, while entries by foreign visitors fell by 1%. State visitors increased their presence in all three provinces, although to different levels: 18% in Bizkaia, 12% in Gipuzkoa, and 2% in Alava. The number of foreign visitors fell in two provinces: Alava (-9%) and Bizkaia (-1%); whereas in Gipuzkoa there was a 1% increase.

Increases were registered for state visitors from Catalonia, Andalusia, Aragón and Asturias, in addition to those from the Autonomous Community and Navarre, but there was a decrease in the number of visitors from Madrid, Cantabria and Castile la Mancha. Among foreign visitors, there was an increase in numbers from France and the USA-Canada, and a reduction in numbers from Germany, the UK and South America.

The number of overnight stays registered in July 2003 came to 307,870, i.e. 21,000 more than the same month the year before, which represents a 7% increase. Overnight stays evolved differently in the three provinces over the inter-annual period, increasing in Bizkaia (12%) and Gipuzkoa (9%), but decreasing in Alava (-5%).

The average length of stay by visitors was stable in the whole of the A.C. of the Basque Country, i.e. 1.88 days en July 2002 and 2003, increasing by 1% in Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa and falling 4% in Alava.

The level of occupancy by places fell 2% in the whole of the A.C. of the Basque Country, the provincial breakdown being as follows: Alava (-19%), Bizkaia (0.0%) and Gipuzkoa (4%).

Agrotourism: Fall in number of visitors (-3%) and increase in overnight stays (7%).

9,552 entries by visitors were registered at agrotourism establishments in the A.C. of the Basque Country in July, 3% fewer than the same month the previous year, increasing by 5% in Alava, 2% in Gipuzkoa and falling 13% in Bizkaia. The decrease registered in the whole of the A.C. of the Basque Country is a result of the fall in foreign visitors (-17%), as the number of state visitors remained stable over the inter-annual period (0.0%). The number of state visitors only increased in the province of Gipuzkoa (4%) , while foreign visitors increased in number in Alava (105%).

The number of overnight stays carried out at agrotourism establishments in the A.C. of the Basque Country came to 30,025 in July, which represented a 7% increase in relation to the same month the year before, with positive inter-annual growth rates in Alava (25%) and Gipuzkoa (13%), but an 8% decrease in Bizkaia.

The average stay per visitor improved by ten points in the whole of the A.C. of the Basque Country in relation to July 2002, increasing by 18% in Alava, 11% in Gipuzkoa and 5% in Bizkaia.

The level of occupancy by places fell 3% in the whole of the A.C. of the Basque Country, due to the 17% decrease in Bizkaia, despite improving in Alava (8%) and Gipuzkoa (5%).

Table 1: Monthly Results

Source: EUSTAT