Hotel establishments in the A.C. of the Basque Country registered 108,718 entries by visitors in February 2005, almost 1,700 fewer than the same month the year before, which represents a 1% fall according to Eustat data. Visitor entries, which had risen sharply (29%) a year before in Gipuzkoa, fell 10% in this province. In Alava the decrease was smaller (-1%) and in Bizkaia, on the other hand, there was a 6% rise with regard to the same month the year before.

Entries by state visitors grew 1% and the number of foreign visitors fell 8%. State visitors increased their presence in Bizkaia (11%), but numbers fell 10% in Gipuzkoa and 1% in Alava. The number of foreigners fell in all three provinces: 9% in Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa and 1% in Alava.

Among state visitors, there was an increase in numbers from Catalonia, Galicia, Aragón and Murcia, among others. Numbers fell from the Community of Navarre, Castile-La Mancha and Asturias, mainly. Among foreign visitors, numbers rose slightly from France, Belgium, Holland, Germany and the non-community European countries and fell considerably above all from the UK and Portugal, among others.

The number of overnight stays registered in February 2005 came to 190,202, which represents a decrease of 4% in relation to February the year before, i.e. 7,000 fewer overnight stays. The inter-annual evolution was positive in Alava and Bizkaia, with growth of 3% and 4%, respectively, while in Gipuzkoa there was a 15% drop in overnight stays.

The average length of stay fell from 1.79 days the year before to 1.75 last February for the whole of the A.C. of the Basque Country, due to the decrease registered in this index in Gipuzkoa and Bizkaia (-6% and –2%, respectively). In Alava there was a rise from 1.69 to 1.75 days.

The level of occupancy by places fell by 3%, dropping from 36.98% in February last year to 35.84% in February this year. This decrease is confirmed in Gipuzkoa (-8%) and Bizkaia (-3%), while in Alava there was an 8% increase.

Agrotourism: Fall in the number of visitors (-11%) and overnight stays (-10%)

Last February there were 4,679 entries by visitors to agrotourism establishments in the A.C. of the Basque Country, 11% fewer than the same month the year before, falling 36% in Alava, 8% in Gipuzkoa and a more moderate 2% reduction in Bizkaia. The decrease registered in state visitors was 12% in the A.C. of the Basque Country: 37% fewer in Alava, 8% fewer in Gipuzkoa and 3% fewer in Bizkaia. The number of foreigners fell by 1% in the whole of the A.C. of the Basque Country, falling 10% in Gipuzkoa, but increasing by 59% in Alava and 9% in Bizkaia.

The number of overnight stays at agrotourism establishments in the A.C. of the Basque Country came to 10,396 in February, which represents a 10% decrease in relation to the same month the year before, with inter-annual decreases in all three provinces: a 40% all in Alava, 6% drop in Bizkaia and in Gipuzkoa a 2% decrease.

The average length of stay registered a slight improvement for the whole of the A.C. of the Basque Country in relation to February 2004, rising from 2.19 days a year before to 2.22 this February, this positive evolution only corresponding to Gipuzkoa (7%), while in en Alava and Bizkaia there were decreases of 7% and 3%, respectively.

The level of occupancy by places registered a 13% decrease, as a consequence of the falls registered in all three provinces, especially in Alava (-44%); in Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa the decreases were much more moderate, 5% in both cases.

Table 1: Monthly results

Source: EUSTAT