Hotel establishments of the A.C. of the Basque Country registered 130,250 visits in March 2004, 9,000 more than in the same month of last year, meaning a 7% increase, according to Eustat data. The number of visitors increased in the provinces of Bizkaia (15%) and Gipuzkoa (3%), while in Alava the number remained virtually unchanged (0%), in relation to the figures for March 2003.

The number of visitors from the state grew by 7%, while visitors coming from overseas increased by 10%. Visitors from the state increased in number throughout the three provinces: 9% in Bizkaia, 7% in Gipuzkoa and 2% in Alava. Foreign visitors were more unevenly distributed as regards provinces, rising substantially in number in Bizkaia (39%), but falling 11% in Gipuzkoa and 7% in Alava.

Among visitors from the state, there was a rise in those coming from the Autonomous Communities of Madrid, Galicia, the Valencia Community, Castile and León, Aragón, Andalusia and the A.C. of the Basque Country itself. Those coming from Cantabria, the Canaries, the Balearic Isles and Asturias among others fell in number. As for foreign visitors, there was an increase in those coming mainly from France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy and USA-Canada, while there was a decrease in visitors from Portugal and South America among others.

Overnight stays registered in March 2004 came to 230,254, representing a 7% rise with regard to March last year, which is to say over 15,000 more overnight stays. The inter-annual evolution of overnight stays was positive in all three provinces, increasing 8% in Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa respectively while in Alava there was a more modest rise of 4%.

The average length of stay for the A.C. of the Basque Country as a whole remained unchanged in March in relation to the same period last year. This index rose in Gipuzkoa (5%) and Alava (3%), but fell in Bizkaia by 6% in inter-annual terms.

The degree of occupancy by places suffered a slight reduction of 1%, falling from 39.30% in March last year to 39.08% this March. Despite the improvement of this index in Alava (4%), in the case of Gipuzkoa it remained unchanged and fell three percent in Bizkaia, in each case with respect to the same month last year.

Agrotourism: A rise in the number of visitors (17%) and overnight stays (32%)

There were 7,220 visitors to the agrotourism establishments of the A.C. of the Basque Country, 17% more than in the same month last year, growing 32% in Alava, 31% in Bizkaia and 5% in Gipuzkoa. Growth as regards visitors from the state was 19% in the A.C. of the Basque Country: Alava (31%), Bizkaia (27%) and Gipuzkoa (10%). Foreigners fell in number by 6% in the A.C. of the Basque Country as a whole.

There were 15,081 overnight stays in the agrotourism establishments of the A.C. of the Basque Country in March, meaning a 32% increase in relation to the same month last year, with highly positive inter-annual growth rates in Bizkaia (58%) and Alava (53%), and a more modest one in Gipuzkoa (11%).

The average length of stay per visitor showed an improvement of thirteen per cent in the of the Basque Country overall in relation to March 2003, going from 1.85 days a year ago to 2.09 this March, a positive evolution that was shared by all three provinces of the community.

The degree of occupancy by places registered a substantial rise of 21%, due to the increase that occurred in Bizkaia (38%), Alava (27%) and Gipuzkoa (8%).

Table 1: Monthly results

Source: EUSTAT