There were 221,350 visitors registered in the hotel establishments of the A.C. of the Basque Country in August 2008, 15,000 down on the same month of the previous year, in other words a 6% decrease, according to Eustat data. The number of visitors decreased by 4% in Bizkaia, 5% in Gipuzkoa and 18% in Álava, compared to the same month of 2007

The number of visitors from within Spain fell by 13% with respect to August 2007. The number was down in all three provinces: Bizkaia (-9%), Gipuzkoa (-11%) and Álava (25%). The number of overseas visitors increased in Bizkaia by 3% and in Gipuzkoa by 6%, while it fell by 3% in Álava, giving an overall increase of 3% throughout the A.C. of the Basque Country

Among visitors from within Spain the only increase was in the numbers from Murcia, while there was a decrease in visitors from Madrid, Catalonia, Galicia, Castilla-León and the Canary Isles. As regards overseas visitors, there was a marked increase in the numbers from Germany, France and the Netherlands, and a drop in visitors from Belgium, Ireland, Portugal and the UK, among others.

Registered overnight stays in August 2008 totalled 407,306, which was 7% down on August 2007, in other words, there were 37,000 fewer overnight stays. The year-on-year trend for overnight stays was negative in all three territories: they fell by 4% in Gipuzkoa, by 8% in Bizkaia and by 16% in Álava.

Throughout the A.C of the Basque Country, the average length of stay was down from 2.11 days in August 2007 to 2.08 this August. It increased in Álava from 1.78 days to 1.83 and in Gipuzkoa from 2.28 to 2.31, but fell in Bizkaia by from 2.05 days in August 2007 to 1.96 this August.

The occupancy rate by bed fell by 10%, dropping from 66.35% in August of last year to 59.51% this August. The occupancy rate by room fell by 9%. Both occupancy rates decreased in all three provinces, though to different degrees.

Rural tourism: The number of visitors was up by 3% and overnight stays were up by 1%

There were 15,032 visitors registered in August in rural tourism establishments in the A. C. of the Basque Country; 3% more than the same month of last year, with numbers increasing by 11% in Bizkaia and 3% in Gipuzkoa but falling by 10% in Álava. The number of visitors from the rest of Spain was unchanged in the A.C. of the Basque Country as a whole: it was up by 3% in Bizkaia and 2% in Gipuzkoa and down by 10% in Álava. The number of overseas visitors rose by 23% throughout the A.C of the Basque Country, with increases of 49% in Bizkaia and 13% in Gipuzkoa but a fall of 9% in Álava.

Overnight stays in rural tourism establishments of the A.C. of the Basque Country totalled 69,888 in August, up by 1% on to the same month of previous year. The year-on-year growth rate was positive in Álava (1%) and Gipuzkoa (2%) but negative in Bizkaia (-1%).

The average length of stay per visitor in the A.C. of the Basque Country overall fell with respect to August 2007, from 4.77 days a year ago to 4.65 days this past August.

Table 1: Monthly results

Source: EUSTAT