159,783 visitors were registered in the hotel establishments of the A.C. of the Basque Country in May 2004, over 20,000 more than in the same month of last year, meaning a 15% increase, according to Eustat data. The rise in the number of visitors took place in all three provinces: Bizkaia (23%), Alava (13%) and Gipuzkoa (8%), in relation to the figures for May 2003.

The number of visitors from the state grew by 12%, while that of foreign visitors increased by 23%. Both visitors from the state and those from abroad increased in number in all three provinces: Alava (13% and 14% respectively), Bizkaia (16% and 40%), with a sharp increase in overseas visitors, and Gipuzkoa (6% and 12%).

Among visitors from the state, there was an increase in those coming from most Autonomous Communities, but especially, both in volume and growth, visitors from Madrid, Catalonia, the Community of Valencia, Aragón, Asturias, Castile, León and the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country itself and the Autonomous Community of Navarre. Among foreign visitors there was a rise in those coming from France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, USA-Canada and South America among others. The only fall was for visitors coming from Portugal and Sweden.

Overnight stays registered in May 2004 totalled 288,706, meaning a 14% increase with respect to last May, or almost 36,000 more overnight stays. Inter-annual evolution of overnight stays was positive, albeit uneven, throughout the three provinces of the A.C. of the Basque Country, growing 23% in Bizkaia, 10% in Gipuzkoa and 2% in Alava.

The length of the average stay in the A.C. of the Basque Country as a whole in May (-1%) was slightly less in relation to the same period of last year. This index rose in Gipuzkoa (2%), remained stable in Bizkaia (0%) and fell in Alava (-10%), in inter-annual terms.

The degree of occupancy by places underwent a 9% increase, going from 43.64% in May of last year to 47.41% this May. The degree of occupancy by rooms also experienced an 8% improvement in the A.C. of the Basque Country as a whole, going from the 55.44% obtained in May 2003 to 59.62% this May.

Agrotourism: A rise in the number of visitors (7%) and overnight stays (9%)

6,666 visitors were registered in the agrotourism establishments of the A.C. of the Basque Country in May, 7% more than the same month last year, growing 23% in Alava, 10% in Gipuzkoa, but decreasing 3% in Bizkaia. The rise in the number of visitors from the state was 6% in the A.C. of the Basque Country: 26% in Alava and 9% in Gipuzkoa, whereas in Bizkaia their numbers fell by 6%. Overseas visitors increased by 17% in the A.C. of the Basque Country as a whole, with a sharp increase in their numbers in Bizkaia (42%), more modest growth in Gipuzkoa (11%) and a fall in Alava (-9%).

There were 15,908 overnight stays in the agrotourism establishments of the A.C. of the Basque Country in May, representing a 9% increase in relation to the same month last year, with positive inter-annual growth rates in all three provinces: in Alava growth was 10%, in Gipuzkoa 9% and in Bizkaia 7%.

The average stay per visitor went from 2.36 days a year ago to 2.39 in May of this year, increasing in Bizkaia, decreasing in Alava and remaining unchanged in Gipuzkoa.

The degree of occupancy by places registered a slight increase of 2%, due to increases in Gipuzkoa (9%) and Bizkaia (2%), since in Alava it fell by 13%.

Source: EUSTAT