141,430 visitors were registered in the hotel establishments of the A.C. of the Basque Country in December 2007, 7,000 more visitors than those recorded for the same month of the previous year, meaning a 5% increase, according to Eustat data. The number of visitors increased in all three provinces: in Álava it grew by 3%, in Bizkaia it did so by 6% and in Gipuzkoa it increased by 5%, in relation to the figures of December 2006.

The number of visitors from within the State remained virtually unchanged, while the number of visitors coming from abroad increased by 28%. The number of visitors from within the State reduced slightly in Álava and Bizkaia (-1%), while in Gipuzkoa it remained practically unchanged (0%). Foreign visitors increased significantly in all three provinces; in Álava they grew by 28%, in Bizkaia they did so by 32% and in Gipuzkoa there was a 24% rise.

Among visitors from within the State an increase was registered mainly for those coming from Castile-La Mancha, Castile and León and La Rioja, and there was a decrease among those coming from Andalucía, Cantabria and Madrid. Among foreigners, there was a rise for practically all nationalities, but especially those coming from France, United Kingdom, USA-Canada and Italy, among others with solely those coming from Belgium, Luxembourg and Latin America showing a decreasse.

Overnight stays registered in December 2007 came to 255,924, representing a 1% decrease in relation to December of the previous year, which is to say almost 1,500 less overnight stays. Overnight stays had a positive inter-annual evolution in Álava (7%), remained unchanged in Bizkaia and fell by 4% in Gipuzkoa.

The average length of stay reduced by 6% during this inter-annual period for the A.C. of the Basque Country as a whole; it had been 1.92 days in December 2006 and fell to 1.81 days last December.

The occupancy rate by place registered a 1% decrease and the occupancy rate by room a 2% increase as regards December 2006. The occupancy rate by place fell from 38.40% to 37.97% and the occupancy rate by room went from 45.32% to 46.34%.

2007 annual balance for hotel establishments: 4% more visitors and 3% more overnight stays were registered than in the previous year

The balance for 2007 in the hotel establishments of the A.C. of the Basque Country closed with rises, both in the number of visitors (4%) and in overnight stays (3%), as regards the previous year.

2,093,346 visitors were recorded in 2007, which is to say 86,000 more than the previous year, and so, for the second year running, surpassed the two million mark for the number of visitors lodging in the hotel establishments of the A.C. of the Basque Country. The number of visitors increased by 7% in Bizkaia, by 4% in Gipuzkoa and decreased by 2% in Álava.

The number of overnight stays in 2007 came to 3,956,867, which is to say 100,000 more overnight stays than the previous year, having a similarly positive evolution in Bizkaia (5%) and Gipuzkoa (2%) but falling in Álava (-2%).

The average length of stay went from 1.92 days in the previous year to 1.89 in 2007. The occupancy rate by place worsened by 3 percentage points in the A.C. of the Basque Country as a whole, going from 48.34% in 2006 to 46.94% in 2007.

Table 1: Annual results

Source: Eustat

AGROTOURISM

December saw an increase in the number of visitors (5%) and overnight stays (1%)

8,400 visitors were registered in the agrotourism establishments of the A.C. of the Basque Country in December, 5% more than in the same month of the previous year.

There were 22,176 overnight stays in the agrotourisms of the A.C. of the Basque Country in December, meaning 1% more than in the same month of the previous year.

The average length of stay per visitor registered a 4% decrease in the A.C. of the Basque Country as a whole and the occupancy rate by place decreased by 5%, with the occupancy rate by room decreasing by an inter-annual 10%.

Annual balance 2007 for agrotourism: the number of visitors increased by 4% as did overnight stays.

108,163 visitors were registered in the agrotourism establishments of the A.C. of the Basque Country over 2007, meaning 4% more than a year earlier, while the number of overnight stays totalled 324,493, also 4% more than in 2006.

The number of visitors increased in the provinces of Álava (22%) and Bizkaia (3%) and remained unchanged in Gipuzkoa (0%) Overnight stays increased in all three provinces: Álava (21%), Bizkaia (3%) and Gipuzkoa (1%).

The average length of stay per visitor in 2007 remained at 3 days, equalling the 2006 registers. The occupancy rate worsened (-7%), going from 28.95% in 2006 to 27.00% in 2007.

Table 2: Annual results

Source: Eustat

Table 1: Monthly results

Source: EUSTAT