Press Release 20/03/2009
SURVEY ON TOURIST ESTABLISHMENTS (EETR )FEBRUARY 2009
Number of visitors fell by 15% in February 2009
The number of overnight stays were down by 19% compared to February 2008
There were 117,488 visitors registered in the hotel establishments of the Basque Country in February 2009, 21,000 down on the same month of the previous year, in other words a 15% decrease, according to Eustat data. The number of visitors fell by 21% in Álava, 18% in Bizkaia and 12% in Gipuzkoa.
The number of visitors from within Spain fell by 13% and the number of overseas visitors was down by 23%. The number of visitors from within the State fell in the three provinces: The number was down by 21% in Álava, by 17% in Gipuzkoa and by 6% in Bizkia. The number of foreign visitors also decreased in the three provinces: 25% in Bizkaia, 22% in Alava and 19% in Gipuzkoa.
The main increase was in the number of visitors from Galicia, Asturias and Extremadura, while there was a greater drop in the number of visitors from Catalonia, Madrid, Cantabria and C. Valenciana. The number of foreign visitors from Denmark, Finland, Greece, Ireland and Japan rose, while there was a decrease in the number of visitors from France, Italy, Portugal, the United Kingdom and Germany, among others.
Registered overnight stays in February 2009 totalled 201,664, which was 19% down on the same month of the previous year, in other words, there were 48,000 fewer overnight stays. The year-on-year performance of overnight stays was negative in the three provinces: they were down 23% in Gipuzkoa, 22% in Álava and there was a 16% drop in Bizkaia.
The average length of stay for the Basque Country as a whole fell from 1.80 days in the previous year to 1.72 in February of this year. This decrease was noted in the three territories, in Gipuzkoa (-6%), Bizkaia (-4%) and Alava (-2%).
The occupancy rate by bed fell by 21%, and dropped from 38.83% in February of last year to 30.78% this February. This decrease also affected all three territories: the rate was down by 29% in Álava, by 21% in Gipuzkoa and by 18% in Bizkaia.
Rural tourism: Drop in the number of visitors (-6%) and overnight stays (-5%) in the Basque Country.
There were 6,313 visitors registered in February in rural tourism establishments in the Basque Country, 6% down on the same month of the previous year. The number increased by 13% in Gipuzkoa and fell by 26% in Bizkaia and in Álava. There was a 2% decrease in the number of visitors from the rest of Spain in the Basque Country: they were down by 23% in Álava and 19% in Bizkaia, but were up by 15% in Gipuzkoa. The number of overseas visitors decreased by 40% throughout the Basque Country, with the number down in the three provinces: there was a notable drop in percentage terms in Álava and Bizkia and a more moderate one in Gipuzkoa (-7%).
There were 14,379 overnight stays in rural tourism establishments in the Basque Country in February, which was 5% down the same month of the previous year, with year-on-year positive growth being recorded in Gipuzkoa (17%), but it fell in Bizkaia and Alava by 31% and 22%, respectively.
The average length of stay per visitor in the Basque Country overall increased with respect to February 2008, rising from 2.26 days a year ago to 2.28 days this February. This positive trend was noted in Gipuzkoa (3%) and Álava (5%), while this index fell in Bizkaia (-7%).
The occupancy rate by bed fell by 12%, down from 16.58% occupancy to 14.66%, as a result of the decreases recorded in Bizkaia (-37%) and Álava (-29%), while there was a 11% increase in Gipuzkoa, placing it at 19.33%.
Table 1: Monthly Results
Source: EUSTAT
For further information:
Basque Statistics Office
C/ Donostia-San Sebastián, 1 01010 Vitoria-Gasteiz
Tlf:+34-945-01 75 00 Fax:+34-945-01 75 01 E-mail: eustat@eustat.es
Contact: Gerardo Pérez Aja
T el:+34-945-01 75 06 F ax:+34-945-01 75 01
Online press releases: www.eustat.es
Databank: http://www.eustat.eus/bancopx/english/indice.aspx