116,817 visitor entries were registered at hotel establishments in the A.C. of the Basque Country in February 2006, i.e. 8,000 more than the same month the previous year, which represents a 7% increase according to Eustat data. Visitor entries increased in the provinces of Gipuzkoa (10%) and Bizkaia (9%), but not in Álava, where they fell by 2%.

State visitor entries increased by 7% and the number of foreign visitors also rose by 8%. State visitors increased in presence in Gipuzkoa (12%) and Bizkaia (7%), but fell slightly in Álava (-3%). The number of foreigners increased, mainly, in Bizkaia (17%), and more moderately in Gipuzkoa (1%), with a fall in numbers for this group in Álava (-2%).

Among state visitors there was an increase in numbers from Madrid, Catalonia, Andalusia, Aragón, Asturias, Extremadura and Galicia, mainly. Numbers fell from the Canaries and Castile la Mancha. Among foreign visitors, there was an increase in numbers from Germany, Italy, Portugal, South America and the USA-Canada and numbers fell in visitors from France, the UK and Holland, among others.

Overnight stays registered in February 2006 amounted to 209,715, which represents a 10% increase on February the previous year, i.e. almost 20,000 overnight stays more. Overnight stays had a positive inter-annual evolution in Gipuzkoa and Bizkaia with growth of 18% and 10%, respectively, while in Álava there was a 4% fall in overnight stays.

The average length of stay rose from 1.75 days the year before to 1.80 this past February for the whole of the A.C. of the Basque Country. This index gained positions in Gipuzkoa (rising from 1.71 days in February last year to 1.84 days in February last), remained unvaried in Bizkaia (1.78 days average stay in both cases) and fell in Álava (from 1.75 to 1.73 days).

The level of occupancy by places increased slightly by 1%, rising from 35.84% in February last year to 36.36% in February this year. An improvement was registered only in the province of Gipuzkoa (16%). The level of occupancy by rooms fell from 47.44% to 46.88% for the whole of the A.C. of the Basque Country, this trend also negatively affecting Álava (-7%) and Bizkaia (-11%) but not Guipúzcoa, where the index grew by 17%.

Agrotourism: Increase in visitor entries (15%) and overnight stays (16%)

5,368 visitor entries were registered in agrotourism establishments in February this year in the A.C. of the Basque Country, 15% more than the same month last year, increasing by 40% in Álava, 12% in Bizkaia and 10% in Gipuzkoa. The increase in state visitors was 17% in the A.C. of the Basque Country: it rose 44% in Álava, increased by 14% in Bizkaia and grew by 12% in Gipuzkoa. The presence of foreign visitors fell by 17% for the whole of the A.C. of the Basque Country, numbers falling in all three provinces: in Álava (-56%), Gipuzkoa (-16%) and Bizkaia (-7%).

Overnight stays spent at agrotourism establishments in the A.C. of the Basque Country came to 12,048 in February, which represents a 16% increase with regard to the same month the year before, with positive inter-annual growth rates in all three provinces: Álava (32%), Gipuzkoa (19%) and Bizkaia (4%).

The average stay per visitors rose in the whole of the A.C. of the Basque Country with regard to February 2005, rising from 2.22 days a year before to 2.24 in February last. This indicator fell in Álava (-6%) and Bizkaia (-7%), but improved in the case of Gipuzkoa (9%).

The level of occupancy by places increased by 4%, as a result of the increases registered in Álava (35%) and Gipuzkoa (7%), compared with the fall in Bizkaia (-14%). The level of occupancy by rooms improved eight percentage points in the whole of the A.C. of the Basque Country with the same provincial make-up as above.

Table 1: Monthly results

Source: EUSTAT