167,311 entries were registered by visitors at hotel establishments in the A.C. of the Basque Country in September 2004, according to Eustat data. These figures reflect an 8% increase in relation to the same month the year before, ie 12,000 more entries. Entries by visitors has evolved positively in the three provinces: increasing in Bizkaia (18%), Gipuzkoa (2%) and Alava (1%).

The number of state visitors increased by 9% in the whole of the A.C. of the Basque Country and the number of foreign visitors also increased, by 6%. State visitors increased their presence in two of the three provinces: Bizkaia (16%) and Gipuzkoa (9%), but reduced their presence in Alava (-5%). Foreign visitors also varied differently according to the province: increasing in Alava (24%) and Bizkaia (22%), but falling in Gipuzkoa (-11%).

Among state visitors there was an increase in most of the Autonomous Communities, with growth in numbers mainly from Madrid, Catalonia, Valencia, Andalusia, Aragon and Navarre. There was only a decrease in numbers from Asturias, the Balearic Isles, Extremadura and Galicia. Numbers rose for foreign visitors from France, the UK, Germany, USA-Canada and Belgium, among others. There was a drop in numbers from Portugal, Italy and Greece, mainly.

Overnight stays registered in September 2004 came to 332,756, which represents a 10% increase with regard to the month of September the year before, i.e. 29,000 more. Overnight stays developed quite differently on an inter-annual scale in the three provinces, increasing by 26% in Bizkaia, remaining stable in Gipuzkoa (0.0%) and falling slightly in Alava (-1%).

The average length of visitors’ stay increased by 2% for the whole of the A.C. of the Basque Country, rising from 1.96 days in September 2003 to 1.99 days in September this year. The average length of stay has improved by 7% in Bizkaia and fallen by 2% in Alava and Gipuzkoa.

The level of occupancy by places, and also by rooms, improved by 7% for the whole of the A.C. of the Basque Country. The impact was different for the three provinces, rising sharply in Bizkaia and slightly in Gipuzkoa; on the other hand, falling slightly in Alava.

Over the summer months, July-September, there was an 8% increase in visitor entries to the A.C. of the Basque Country with regard to summer 2003, this growth affecting the province of Bizkaia mainly (21%) and Gipuzkoa to a lesser extent (2%), but in Alava there was a reduction (-1%). Overnight stays registered over this period increased by 12%, reaching 42,000 more overnight stays than in summer 2003. The increases were 24% in Bizkaia, 7% in Gipuzkoa and 2% in Alava.

Agrotourism: drop in visitor entries (-1%) and rise in 16% overnight stays

7,961 visitor entries were registered in September at agrotourism establishments in the A.C. of the Basque Country, 1% fewer than in the same month the year before, rising 8% in Bizkaia, but falling 7% and 2% in Gipuzkoa and Alava respectively.

Overnight stays carried out at agrotourism establishments in the A.C. of the Basque Country came to 23,922 in September, which represents 16% more than the same month the previous year, with positive inter-annual growth rates in the three provinces: Alava (26%), Bizkaia (21%) and Gipuzkoa (11%).

The average stay per visitor progressed by eighteen percent in the whole of the A.C. of the Basque Country in relation to September 2003, and rose from 2.55 days a year before to 3.00, this growth affecting all three provinces: Alava (30%), Gipuzkoa (20%) and Bizkaia (12%).

The level of occupancy by places registered 10% growth in the whole of the A.C. of the Basque Country and the level of occupancy by rooms also rose by 10%.

Over the summer months, July-September, there were 3% fewer entries to Basque agrotourism establishments in the A.C. of the Basque Country than the year before, but overnight stays increased by 12% over the same period, i.e. 13,000 more overnight stays.

Source: EUSTAT