171,955 visitor entries were registered at hotel establishments in the A.C. of the Basque Country in October 2004, according to Eustat data. These figures reflect a 19% increase in relation to the same month the year before, i.e. 27,000 more entries. Visitor entries saw a positive though unequal evolution in the three provinces: important increases in Bizkaia (29%) and Gipuzkoa (17%) and a more moderate rise in Alava (1%).

State visitors increased in number by 19% in the whole of the A.C. of the Basque Country and an identical increase, 19%, was also registered by foreign visitors. State visitors increased in all three provinces: Bizkaia (24%), Gipuzkoa (22%) and Alava (2%). Foriegn visitors increased in numbers in Bizkaia (39%) and Gipuzkoa (7%), but their presence fell in Alava (-1%).

Among the state visitors that registered highest increases according to Autonomous Communities, were mainly those from Madrid, Catalonia, Castile and León, Andalusia, Asturias and Castile la Mancha. Numbers fell from Aragón, the Balearic Isles, Cantabria, Comunidad Valenciana and Galicia. The number of foreigners rose from France, Italy, the UK, Portugal and the USA-Canada, among others. Numbers fell from Germany, Belgium, Sweden and Japan, mainly.

Overnight stays registered in October 2004 came to 313,961, which represents a 12% increase in relation to October the year before, i.e. 33,000 more. Overnight stays registered differing inter-annual evolutions in the three provinces, increasing 20% in Bizkaia, rising 19% in Gipuzkoa, but falling substantially in Alava (-20%).

The average length of stay fell in the whole of the A.C. of the Basque Country, dropping from 1.94 days in October 2003 to 1.83 days last October. The average length of stay fell considerably in Alava (from 2.03 to 1.61 days) and also, although to a lesser extent, in Bizkaia (from 1.94 to 1.81 days), although in Gipuzkoa there was a slight improvement on the previous year (from 1.90 to 1.92 days).

The level of occupancy, both by places and by rooms, improved the values registered a year before by 9% and 7%, respectively, for the whole of the A.C. of the Basque Country. Nevertheless, these two indicators have fallen significantly in Alava, although substantial improvements were made in Gipuzkoa and Bizkaia.

Agroturism: increase in the number of visitors (17%), and above all, in overnight stays (47%) over the past month of October

8,009 visitors were registered last October in agrotourism establishments in the A.C. of the Basque Country, 17% more than the same month the year before, growing 23% in Gipuzkoa and 22% in Bizkaia, but falling 3% in Alava.

Overnight stays at agrotourism establishments in the A.C. of the Basque Country came to a total of 20,634 in October, which represents 47% more than the same month the previous year, with very positive inter-annual growth in all three provinces: Alava (20%), Bizkaia (37%) and Gipuzkoa (70%).

The average length of stay per visitor progressed notable in the whole of the A.C. of the Basque Country with regard to October 2003, and rose from 2.05 days a year before to 2.58 this year, this increase affecting all three provinces.

The level of occupancy by places increased by 40% in the whole of the A.C. of the Basque Country and the level of occupancy by rooms rose by 39%. Both variables imporoved their positions in the three provinces of the A.C. of the Basque Country.

Table 1: Monthly results

Source: EUSTAT