There were 168,374 visitor entries to hotel establishments in the A.C. of the Basque Country in October 2005, almost 3,600 fewer than those registered the same month the previous year, which represents a 2% drop, according to Eustat data. The number of visitors fell in both Gipuzkoa (-4%) and Bizkaia (-1%), but stayed stable in Alava (0%).

Entries by state visitors fell by 1%, while visitors from abroad dropped by 5%. State visitors only increased their presence in Bizkaia (4%), numbers did not vary in Alava (0%), but fell by 7% in Gipuzkoa. Foreign visitors increased their presence in Gipúzkoa (3%) and Alava (1%), but decreased in Bizkaia (-13%).

Among state visitors, there was an increase in numbers from Andalusia, Baleares, Canarias, Cantabria and Valencia, mainly, while numbers fell from Asturias, Catalonia and Madrid, among others. Among foreign visitors there were increases in numbers from Germany, Belgium, France and South America, among others, but fewer from the UK, USA-Canada, Italy and Holland, mainly.

Overnight stays registered in October 2005 came to 317,124, which represents a 1% increase on October the previous year, i.e. over 3,000 more overnight stays. The inter-annual evolution of overnight stays was positive in Álava (13%) and Bizkaia (3%), but not so in Gipuzkoa, where there was a 4% decrease.

The length of the average stay underwent a 3% increase in October 2005 in the whole of the A.C. of the Basque Country, rising from 1.83 days the year before to 1.88 days this year. The average stay had a positive evolution in Álava, increasing from 1.61 days to 1.81 days and in Bizkaia, from 1.81 to 1.89. In Guipúzcoa, on the other hand, the length of the average stay fell from 1.92 days to 1.91 in October last.

The level of occupancy by places and by rooms registered a negative evolution, with 3% and 2% decreases, respectively, in the whole of the A.C. of the Basque Country. The level of occupancy by places fell from 51.52% to 49.86% and the level of occupancy by rooms from 63.28% to 61.94%. There was an improvement in the level of occupancy both by places (10%) and by rooms (14%) only in Álava.

AGROTOURISM

Increase in visitors (12%) and overnight stays (2%).

Last October the number of visitors to agrotourism establishments in the A.C. of the Basque Country increased by 9,000, 12% more than the same month the year before, rising 19% in Guipúzcoa and 16% in Álava, while in Bizkaia the increase was more moderate (1%). The increase in state visitors was 10% in the whole of the A.C. of the Basque Country and there was a 47% increase in visitors from abroad.

Overnight stays at agrotourism establishments in the A.C. of the Basque Country came to 21,115 in October 2005, which represents a 2% increase with regard to the same month the year before, with positive inter-annual rates in the provinces of Guipúzcoa (5%) and Álava (7%), but decreasing in the case of Bizkaia (-4%).

The average stay per visitor fell by 9%, dropping from 2.58 days in October the year before to 2.35 days last October. This reduction in the average stay corresponds to all three provinces in the A.C. of the Basque Country.

The level of occupancy by places and by rooms fell by 6% and 7%, respectively, and this reduction is based on the decreases registered in the provinces of Gipuzkoa and Bizkaia, as in Álava there was an increase in occupancy levels by places (7%) and also by rooms (1%).

Table 1: Monthly results

Fuente: EUSTAT