184,455 visitors were registered in the hotel establishments of the A.C. of the Basque Country in April 2007, more than 5,500 visitors more than during the same month of the previous year, meaning a 3% increase, according to Eustat. The number of visitors increased by 9% in Bizkaia, remained unchanged in Gipuzkoa (0%) and diminished by 6% in Álava, in relation to the same month of the previous year.

The number of visitors from other parts of the state did not undergo any variation as regards April 2006 but the number of foreign visitors grew by 13%. Visitors from other parts of the state increased in number in Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa (1%, in both cases), and decreased in Álava (-8%). The number of foreigners increased in Bizkaia (30%) and Álava (3%) but decreased in Gipuzkoa (-4%).

Among visitors from other parts of the state, an increase was registered among those coming from Andalusia, Aragon, Cantabria and the Balearic Islands, among others. There was a fall for those coming chiefly from Catalonia and Madrid. Among visitors from overseas, there was a rise among those coming from Germany, Belgium, Ireland, Portugal and the Rest of Europe and a fall for those coming chiefly from France and the United Kingdom.

Overnight stays registered in April 2007 came to 352,248, which is to say a 4% increase compared to April of the previous year, or an extra 13,000 overnight stays. The evolution of overnight stays was positive in the provinces of Álava and Bizkaia where it grew by 1% and 10% respectively, while in Gipuzkoa there was a 2% decrease.

The length of the average stay rose by one percentage point for the A.C. of the Basque Country as a whole: it went from 1.89 days last April to 1.91 this April. In Álava it extended by 6%, in Bizkaia it did so by 1% and reduced by 2% in Gipuzkoa.

The degree of occupancy by place suffered a 3% decrease, going from 51.27% last April to 49.64% this April. This degrease was seen in Gipuzkoa (-10%) and Álava (-3%), although there was a 2% increase in Bizkaia.

The first four months of the year saw 580,206 visitors registered in the hotel establishments of the A.C. of the Basque Country, meaning a 5% increase compared to the same period of 2006.

The number of overnight stays made during this first four-month period came to 1,067,103, a 6% increase compared to the same period of the previous year.

Agrotourism: There was an increase in the number of visitors (5%) and overnight stays (21%)

April saw 10.791 visitors in the agrotourism establishments of the A.C. of the Basque Country, 5% more than in the same month of the previous year, increasing by 7% in Álava, 7% in Bizkaia and 4% in Gipuzkoa. There was a 5% rise in visitors from other parts of the state in the A.C. of the Basque Country as a whole: they rose by 7% in Álava, 7% in Bizkaia and 3% in Gipuzkoa. Visitors from overseas increased in number by 10% in the A.C. of the Basque Country overall, despite the fall in numbers in Álava (-1%), rising in Bizkaia (1%) and especially in Gipuzkoa (27%).

The number of overnight stays made in the agrotourism establishments of the A.C. of the Basque Country came to 34,037 in April, meaning a 21% increase as regards the same month of the previous year, with positive inter-annual growth rates in Bizkaia (26%), Álava (23%) and Gipuzkoa (18%).

The average stay per visitor increased for the A.C. of the Basque Country as a whole in relation to April 2006, going from 2.73 days a year ago to 3.15 this April.

The degree of occupancy by place rose by 6% as a result of the pattern seen across the three provinces: in Álava there was a 9% increase, in Bizkaia the rise was also 9% and in Gipuzkoa it was 4%.

28,899 visitors were registered in the agrotourism establishments of the A.C. of the Basque Country in the first four months of 2007, meaning a 7% increase as regards the figures for the first four-month period of 2006.

The number of overnight stays during the period January-April 2007 came to 76,892, meaning a 17% increase as regards the same period of the previous year.

Table 1: Monthly results

Source: EUSTAT