Hotel establishments in the A.C. of the Basque Country registered 108,287 visitor entries in January 2007, 5,500 more than the same month the year before, which represents a 5% increase, according to Eustat data. Visitor entries increased by 11% in Bizkaia, 2% in Álava and did not vary at all in Gipuzkoa (0%).

State visitor entries increased by 3% and the number of foreign visitors also rose by 15%. State visitors increased their presence in Bizkaia (8%), but not in Álava and Gipuzkoa where numbers fell by 3% and 2% respectively. The number of foreigners increased in the three provinces: 21% in Álava, 21% in Bizkaia and 5% in Gipuzkoa.

There was an increase in the numbers of state visitors from Catalonia, Aragon, the Canaries, Castile and León, Valencia, Galicia and Navarre, among others. Numbers fell from Madrid, the Balearic Isles, Galicia and the A.C. of the Basque Country itself, mainly. Among foreigners, numbers increased from France, Italy, Portugal, South America and the USA-Canada but fell from Germany, Austria and Denmark, among others.

Overnight stays registered in January 2007 came to 196,765, which represented a 10% increase on January the year before, i.e. almost 18,000 overnight stays more. Overnight stays had a positive inter-annual evolution in all three provinces: rising by 8% in Álava, 14% in Bizkaia and increasing by 6% in Gipuzkoa.

The length of the average stay fell from 1.74 days the year before to 1.82 this last month of January, for the whole of the A.C. of the Basque Country. This index decreased in all three provinces of the A.C. of the Basque Country.

The level of occupancy by places rose by 7%, rising from 29.07% in January last year to 31.08% in January this year. This increase affected Alava (14%) and Bizkaia (11%), while in Gipuzkoa there was a slight decrease (-1%).

Agrotourism: Increase in visitor entries (11%) and overnight stays (21%)

4,228 visitor entries were registered last January at agrotourism establishments of the A.C. of the Basque Country, 11% more than the same month the year before, rising by 75% in Álava and 20% in Bizkaia and falling by 10% in Gipuzkoa. The increase in state visitors was 16% in the A.C. of the Basque Country: rising by 72% in Álava and increasing by 22% in Bizkaia, but falling by 3% in Gipuzkoa. Foreigners increased in presence by 37% in the whole of the A.C. of the Basque Country, numbers falling in Gipuzkoa (-63%), remaining unvaried in Bizkaia (0%) and increasing notably in Álava in percentage terms.

Overnight stays at agrotourism establishments in the A.C. of the Basque Country came to 11,426 in January, which represented a 21% increase with regard to the same month the year before, with positive inter-annual growth rates in Álava (138%) and Bizkaia (68%), with the exception of Gipuzkoa, where there was a 16% decrease.

The average stay per visitor has risen in the whole of the A.C. of the Basque Country with regard to January 2005, rising from 2.48 days a year before to 2.70 in January this year, this negative evolution extending to Alava and Bizkaia, while in Gipuzkoa there was a drop in this index.

The level of occupancy by places registered a 10% increase, as a result of the increases in Álava (-113%) and Bizkaia (53%), the impact being negative in Gipuzkoa (-23%).

Table 3: Monthly Results

Source: EUSTAT