134,183 visitor entries were registered at hotel establishments in the A.C. in the Basque Country in December 2006, almost 13,000 more than the same month the year before, which represents a 10% increase according to Eustat data. Visitor entries increased in all three provinces, in Álava by 4%, in Bizkaia by 10% and in Gipuzkoa the rise was 14% in relation to the data for December 2005.

The number of state visitors rose by 13% and the number of foreign visitors was practically unchanged. State visitors increased in presence in all three provinces; in Álava by 6%, in Bizkaia by 12%, and in Gipuzkoa by 18%. Foreign visitors increased in Bizkaia (2%), remained unvaried in Gipuzkoa (0.0%), but fell in Álava (9.0%).

Among state visitors there was an increase in numbers from Catalonia, Madrid, Comunidad Valenciana, Andalusia, and Aragón, mainly, and a drop in numbers from Castile-La Mancha, Extremadura and La Rioja. Among foreigners numbers rose from Belgium, France, Portugal and Latin America, among others, while numbers fell from, Germany, Italy, the UK and USA-Canada mainly.

Overnight stays registered in December 2006 came to 257,364, which represents an 18% increase on the month of December the previous year, i.e. almost 40,000 more overnight stays. Overnight stays have had a positive inter-annual evolution in all three provinces of the A.C. of the Basque Country, rising by 36% in Gipuzkoa, 11% in Bizkaia and 2% in Álava.

The length of the average stay progressed from 7% over this inter-annual period for the whole of the A.C. of the Basque Country; it was 1.79 days in December 2005 and rose to 1.92 days last December.

The level of occupancy by places registered an 8% increase, while the level of occupancy by rooms fell by 3% with regard to December 2005. The level of occupancy by places rose from 35.72% to 38.40%, and the level of occupancy by rooms increased from 44.02% to 45.32%.

2006 Annual balance for hotel establishments: 10% more entries registered and 12% more overnight stays than the year before

The balance for 2006 at hotel establishments in the A.C. of the Basque Country closed with rises, both in visitor entries (10%) and overnight stays (12%), with regard to the previous year. The positive trend in these two indicators applies to all three provinces of the A.C. of the Basque Country.

In 2006 there were 2,007,548 visitor entries, i.e. 182,000 more than the year before and so for the fifth consecutive year surpassed the figure of one and a half million visitors staying at hotel establishments in the A.C. of the Basque Country, overcoming the two million visitor figure for the first time. Visitor entries increased by 15% in Bizkaia, 8% in Álava and 5% in Gipuzkoa.

The number of overnight stays in 2006 came to 3,858,440, i.e. 398,000 more overnight stays than the year before, the trend also being positive in all three provinces: Bizkaia (16%), Gipuzkoa (9%) and Álava (5%).

The average length of stay rose from 1.90 days the year before to 1.92 in 2006. The level of occupancy by places improved by 1 percentage point in the whole of the A.C. of the Basque Country, rising from 47.63% in 2005 to 48.34% in 2006.

Table 1: Annual results

Source: Eustat

AGROTOURISM

Visitor entries rose (10%) and overnight stays increased (23%) in December 2006

7.976 visitor entries to agrotourism establishments in the A.C. of the Basque Country were registered last December, 10% more than the same month the previous year.

Overnight stays at agrotourism establishments in the A.C. of the Basque Country came to 21,933 in December 2006, which represents a 23% increase with regard to the same month the previous year.

The average stay per visitor rose by 12% in the A.C. of the Basque Country and the level of occupancy by places rose by 10%, the increase in the level of occupancy by rooms being an inter-annual 11%.

2006 Annual balance for agrotourism: 8% more entries registered and 16% more overnight stays, and the average stay reached three days

103,639 visitor entries were registered at agrotourism establishments in the A.C. of the Basque Country over 2006, which represents 8% more than the year before, while overnight stays came to 310,955, i.e. 16% more than in 2005.

Visitor entries increased in Bizkaia (13%) and Gipuzkoa (9%), but not so in Alava (-4%). Overnight stays increased in all three provinces: Bizkaia (21%), Gipuzkoa (16%) and Álava (8%).

The average stay per visitor rose from 2.78 days in 2005 to 3.00 days in 2006 and the level of occupancy improved by three percentage points, rising from 28.04% in 2005 to 28.95% in 2006.

Table 2: Annual results

Source: Eustat

Table 3: Monthly Results

Source: EUSTAT