Hotel establishments in the A.C. of the Basque Country registered 195,188 entries by visitors in August 2004, almost 18,000 more than during the same month the previous year, which represents a 10% increase, according to Eustat data. Entries by visitors increased in the provinces of Bizkaia (25%) and, to a lesser extent, in Gipuzkoa (4%), but not so in Alava, where there was a 7% reduction in relation to the data for August 2003.

Entries by state visitors increased 8%, while entries by visitors from abroad increased by 15%. Both state and foreign visitors increased their presence in Bizkaia (20% and 34%, respectively) and in Gipuzkoa (4% and 5%, respectively), while in Alava there was a fall for both groups (-6% and –8%, respectively).

Among state visitors there was an increase in numbers from Madrid, Catalonia, Andalusia, the Community of Valencia, Galicia, Asturias and Aragon among others, and a fall in numbers from Castile and Leon, Balearic Islands and Cantabria, mainly. Among foreign visitors, numbers increased from France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, USA- Canada, Holland, Ireland and the UK, among others, with a fall in numbers from Belgium, Denmark and Latin America.

Overnight stays registered in August 2004 amounted to a total of 424,075, which represents a 16% increase in relation to August the year before, i.e. 60,000 more overnight stays. The inter-annual evolution of overnight stays was positive in all three provinces in the A.C. of the Basque Country, rising 34% in Bizkaia, 8% in Gipuzkoa and 1% in Alava.

The length of the average stay increased by 5% in August 2004 for the whole of the A.C. of the Basque Country, rising from 2.06 to 2.17 days. This rate also rose in all three provinces: 8% in Alava, 7% in Bizkaia and 4% in Gipuzkoa, in inter-annual terms.

The rate of occupancy by places registered a positive evolution with a 13% increase, from 61.44% in August last year to 69.25% in August this year. The rate of occupancy by rooms also improved by 13% in the whole of the A.C. of the Basque Country, rising 24% in Bizkaia and 10% in Gipuzkoa, but falling 2% in Alava.

Over the months of June, July and August there was a 9% rise in entries by visitors in the A.C. of the Basque Country in relation to the same period in 2003: Bizkaia saw an 18% increase and Gipuzkoa and Alava registered a 3% in both cases. Overnight stays over the same period registered a 13% increase, reaching a total of 120,000 more overnight stays than in the same months of 2003. The increase was 21% in Bizkaia and 8% in Alava and Gipuzkoa.

AGROTOURISM

Decrease in entries by visitors (-15%) but overnight stays increased (9%)

In August 10,580 entries by visitors were registered in agrotourism establishments in the A.C. of the Basque Country, 15% fewer than in the same month the previous year, falling 18% in Alava, 14% in Bizkaia and 14% in Gipuzkoa. The drop in state visitors was 15% in the A.C. of the Basque Country, with decreases in all three provinces: a 21% decrease in Alava, 21% in Bizkaia and 8% in Gipuzkoa. The number of foreigner visitors also fell by 15% in the whole of the A.C. of the Basque Country, with an increase in this group in Alava (8%) and Bizkaia (15%) but with a substantial 45% fall in Gipuzkoa.

Overnight stays at agrotourism establishments in the A.C. of the Basque Country came to 58,946 in August 2004, which represents a 9% increase in relation to the same month the previous year, with positive inter-annual growth rates in all three provinces: a 13% rise in Alava, 10% in Gipuzkoa and 4% in Bizkaia.

The average length of stay rose from 4.36 days a year befote to 5.57 in August this year, increasing by 39% in Alava, 28% in Gipuzkoa and 21% in Bizkaia, which means that despite the loss in the number of visitors there was an increase in overnight stays.

The rate of occupancy by places showed a 5% rise for the whole of the A.C. of the Basque Country. By provinces, there was a 6% rise in Gipuzkoa, 5% in Bizkaia and (3%) in Alava.

Over the months of June, July and August 2004 the number of entries by visitors in agrotourism establishments increased by 4% in relation to the same months the previous year, and overnight stays rose by 13%, having a positive effect in all three provinces.

Fuente: EUSTAT