Press Release 22/07/2009

SURVEY ON TOURIST ESTABLISHMENTS (EETR ) JUNE 2009

Number of visitors fell by 4% in June 2009

Overnight stays decreased by 2% in June

There were 173,675 visitors registered in the hotel establishments of the Basque Country in June 2009, 8,000 fewer visitors than in the same month of the previous year resulting in a 4% decrease, according to Eustat data. The number of registered visitors fell by 13% in Álava and 5% in Bizkaia, with respect to the same month of the previous year, while the figures for Gipuzkoa practically remained unchanged on June of the previous year.

The number of visitors from within Spain fell by 1% and the number of overseas visitors decreased by 11% with respect to the same month of the previous year. . There were fewer visitors from Spain to Álava (-9%) and to Gipuzkoa (-2%), while the number was up by 2% in Bizkaia. Foreign visitors increased by 4% in Gipuzkoa and were down by 24% in Álava and by 19% in Gipuzkoa.

There was an increase in the number of visitors mainly from Andalusia, Castilla-La Mancha, Castilla y León, Navarra and Galicia, while there was a decrease in visitors from the Catalonia, Madrid and Cantabria, among others. With regard to overseas visitors, there was a rise in the number from Central and South America, the Netherlands, Belgium and the United Kingdom, while there was a decrease in the numbers from Germany, France and Portugal, among others.

Registered overnight stays in June 2009 came to 322,983, which was 2% down on June 2007, that is, 5,600 fewer overnight stays. Overnight stays performed negatively over the last year in Álava, where they fell by 7%, in Bizkaia, where they were down by 3%, even though they were up by 2% in Gipuzkoa.

Throughout the Basque Country, the average length of stay rose from 1.81 days in June of the previous year to 1.86 days this June. In Álava and Bizkaia, with increases of 7% and 3% respectively, the average stay stood at 1.78 days, while it was 1.97 days in Gipuzkoa, which was up 1%.

The occupancy rate by bed fell by 9%, and dropped from 47.06% in June of last year to 43.05% this June. The occupancy rate by room fell by 7%. Both occupancy rates decreased in the three provinces to different degrees.



Rural tourism: The number of visitors and overnight stays fell by -1% and -6% respectively.

There were 9,761 visitors registered in June in rural tourism establishments in the Basque Country; 1% more than the same month of last year, increasing by 7% in Álava, but falling by 4% in Bizkaia and 2% in Gipuzkoa. There was a 3% decrease in the number of visitors from the rest of Spain in the Basque Country: it was up by 5% in Álava, but down by 1% in Bizkaia and 8% in Gipuzkoa. The number of overseas visitors increased by 23% throughout the Basque Country:

There were 22,989 overnight stays in rural tourism establishments in the Basque Country in June, which was 6% down on the same month of the previous year, with year-on-year positive growth being recorded in Álava (4%) and Bizkaia (1%), while they fell by 13% in Gipuzkoa.

The average length of stay per visitor in the Basque Country overall decreased with respect to June 2008, falling from 2.48 days a year ago to 2.36 days this June.

Both the occupancy rate by bed and the occupancy rate by rooms fell by 14% in the Basque Country, due to the negative impact of the three provinces, although the drops were more noticeable in Gipuzkoa.



Table 1: Monthly Results

For further information:

Basque Statistics Office C/ Donostia-San Sebastián, 1 01010 Vitoria-Gasteiz Tel.: +34-945-01 75 00 Fax: +34-945-01 75 01 E-mail: eustat@eustat.es Contact: Gerardo Pérez Aja Tel:+34-945-01 75 06 Fax:+34-945-01 75 01 Online press releases: www.eustat.es Databank: www.eustat.eus/bancopx/english/indice.aspx