.

115,769 visitors were registered in the hotel establishments of the A.C. of the Basque Country in December 2004, according to Eustat data. These figures show an 8% rise compared to the same month of the previous year, which is to say almost 9,000 more visits. The number of visitors experienced a positive evolution in the province of Bizkaia, where there was a 22% increase; in Gipuzkoa it remained unchanged (0.0%) and it fell by 4% in the province of Alava.

The number of visitors from the state grew by 13% in the A.C. of the Basque Country as a whole, while the number of visitors from overseas fell by 7%. Numbers of the former increased in Bizkaia (24%) and Gipuzkoa (9%), while those of the latter only rose in Bizkaia (17%), since in Alava and Gipuzkoa they diminished by 14% and 24%, respectively.

Among visitors from the state, numbers rose for those coming from almost all of the autonomous communities, especially from Madrid, Catalonia, Andalucia and Castile and León, among others. There was a fall in visitors from the Community of Valencia, Murcia and Ceuta and Melilla. As for overseas visitors, there was a rise among those coming from Germany, France, Portugal and the USA -Canada, whereas numbers fell for others, especially from Italy, the United Kingdom and Holland.

206,172 overnight stays were registered in December 2004, meaning 6% growth compared to the previous December, which is to say almost 13,000 more overnight stays. The evolution of the number of overnight stays followed a similar pattern to the number of visitors in the various provinces, rising 16% in Bizkaia, remaining unchanged in Gipuzkoa (0.0%) and decreasing in Alava (-3%).

The average length of stay for the A.C. of the Basque Country as a whole decreased from 1.81 days the previous year to 1.78 in December 2004. However, this index improved slightly in Alava and Gipuzkoa - by 1% in both cases – but fell in Bizkaia (-5%).

The degree of occupancy by places and rooms improved for the A.C. of the Basque Country as a whole thanks to the Bizkaia results, since in Alava and Gipuzkoa the degree of occupancy fell, both in terms of places and rooms.

Annual balance for hotel establishments 2004: Both the average stay and the degree of occupancy by places showed improved figures compared to the previous year

The balance for 2004 in the hotel establishments of the A.C. of the Basque Country showed rises, both in the number of visitors (10%) and in overnight stays (11%), compared to the previous year. The positive performance of these two indicators was repeated across the three provinces of the A.C. of the Basque Country, even though its impact differed in each, according to Eustat data.

1,750,434 visitors were registered in 2004, which is to say 165,000 more than the previous year, making it the third year running that the one and a half million mark has been passed for visitors staying in the hotel establishments of the A.C. of the Basque Country. The number of visitors increased 19% in Bizkaia, 5% in Gipuzkoa and 4% in Alava.

The number of overnight stays for 2004 came to 3,289,658, which is to say 326,000 more overnight stays than the previous year, a positive evolution also reflected across the three provinces: Bizkaia (19%), Gipuzkoa (8%) and Alava (2%).

The average length of stay went from 1.87 days the previous year to 1.88 in 2004. The degree of occupancy by places improved by two per cent in the A.C. of the Basque Country overall, going from 44.2% in 2003 to 46.9% in 2004. This index improved in all three provinces, but to differing extents.

Agrotourism: December saw a decrease in the number of visitors (-8%) but an increase in overnight stays (12%)

6,538 visitors were registered in the agrotourism establishments of the A.C. of the Basque Country in December, 8% less than in the same month of the previous year.

There were 19,319 overnight stays in the agrotourism establishments of the A.C. of the Basque Country in December, meaning 12% more than in the same month of the previous year, with positive inter-annual growth rates in Bizkaia (17%), Gipuzkoa (10%) and Alava (9%).

The average length of stay per visitor showed a sharp rise of 21% in the A.C. of the Basque Country as a whole and the degree of occupancy by places improved slightly (1%), although the degree of occupancy by rooms diminished (-2%).

Annual balance for agrotourism 2004: there was a 4% increase in the number of visitors and one of 16% for overnight stays

88,076 visitors were registered in the agrotourism establishments of the A.C. of the Basque Country over 2004, meaning 4% more than the previous year, while the number of overnight stays totalled 261,906, which is to say 16% more than in 2003.

Both the increase in the number of visitors and of overnight stays was repeated, although to differing extents, in each of the three provinces.

The average stay per visitor went from 2.66 days in 2003 to 2.97 in 2004 and the degree of occupancy showed an 8% improvement compared to the levels achieved in 2003, affecting all three provinces in a similarly positive way.

Table 3: Monthly results

Source: EUSTAT