Hotel establishments in the A.C. of the Basque Country registered 102,738 visitor entries in January 2006, 5,000 more than the same month the year before, which represents a 6% increase, according to Eustat data. Visitor entries increased in the three provinces: 8% in Bizkaia, 4% in Gipuzkoa and 2% in Álava.

State visitor entries increased by 3% and the number of foreign visitors also rose by 17%. State visitors increased their presence in Bizkaia (6%) and Gipuzkoa (2%), but not in Álava where the number fell by 3%. The number of foreigners increased in the three provinces: 26% in Álava, 17% in Bizkaia and 14% in Gipuzkoa.

There was an increase in the numbers of state visitors from Catalonia, Andalusia, Comunidad Valenciana, Galicia and Castile León, among others. Numbers fell from Madrid, Baleares, Asturias and Castile la Mancha, mainly. Among foreigners, numbers increased from Germany, the UK, Portugal and South America, but fell from France, Italy and the USA-Canada, among others.

Overnight stays registered in January 2006 came to 178,385, which represented a 2% increase on January the year before, i.e. almost 4,000 overnight stays more. Overnight stays had a positive inter-annual evolution in Bizkaia and Álava, with 5% and 1% growth respectively, while in Gipuzkoa there was a 1% decrease in overnight stays.

The length of the average stay fell from 1.80 days the year before to 1.74 this last month of January, for the whole of the A.C. of the Basque Country. This index decreased in all three provinces of the A.C. of the Basque Country.

The level of occupancy by places fell by 7%, dropping from 31.13% in January last year to 29.07% in January this year. This decrease affected all three provinces of the A.C. of the Basque Country, although the level of occupancy by rooms showed a slight 3% improvement in the case of Álava.

Agrotourism: Increase in visitor entries (21%) and increase in overnight stays (5%)

3,799 visitor entries were registered last January at agrotourism establishments of the A.C. of the Basque Country, 21% more than the same month the year before, falling 9% in Álava and increasing by 8% in Bizkaia and 42% in Gipuzkoa. The increase in state visitors was 18% in the A.C. of the Basque Country: falling by 5% in Álava and increasing by 12% in Bizkaia and 31% in Gipuzkoa. Foreigners increased in presence by 53% in the whole of the A.C. of the Basque Country, numbers falling in Álava and Bizkaia, but increasing notably in Gipuzkoa, in percentage terms.

Overnight stays at agrotourism establishments in the A.C. of the Basque Country came to 9,432 in January, which represented a 5% increase with regard to the same month the year before, with negative inter-annual growth rates in Álava (-20%) and Bizkaia (-18%), with the exception of Gipuzkoa, where there was a 26% increase.

The average stay per visitor has fallen in the whole of the A.C. of the Basque Country with regard to January 2005, dropping from 2.85 days a year before to 2.48 in January this year, this negative evolution extending to all three provinces of the A.C. of the Basque Country.

The level of occupancy by places registered a 2% decrease, as a result of the falls in Álava (-17%) and Bizkaia (-29%), the impact being positive in Gipuzkoa (19%).

Table 1: Monthly results

Source: EUSTAT