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Press Release 21/08/2009

SURVEY ON TOURIST ESTABLISHMENTS (EETR ) JULY 2009

Number of visitors rose by 1% in July 2009

Overnight stays increased by 3% in July

There were 216,140 visitors registered in the hotel establishments of the Basque Country in July 2009, 3,000 up on the same month of the previous year, in other words a 1% increase, according to Eustat data. The number of visitors rose by 4% in Bizkaia and in Álava, while they were down by 2% in Gipuzkoa with respect to the figures for July of the previous year.

The number of visitors from within Spain was up by 1% and the number of overseas visitors increased by 2% compared to the same month of the previous year. There were more Spanish visitors in Álava (5%) and in Bizkaia (6%), while the number fell by 6% in Gipuzkoa. The number of overseas visitors increased in the three provinces: by 3% in Gipuzkoa, 2% in Álava and 1% in Bizkaia.

There was an increase in the number of visitors from Aragón, Asturias, Canary Islands, Cantabria and Navarra, while there was a decrease in those from Galicia, Madrid and Castilla-León, primarily. As far as the overseas visitors were concerned, there was an increase in the number mainly from Central and South America, Sweden, the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands and Finland, while there was a fall in the number of visitors from Germany, Austria, Greece, Italy, USA-Canada and Portugal.

Registered overnight stays in July 2009 totalled 422,064, which was 3% up on the same month of the previous year, in other words, there were 13,000 more overnight stays. The year-on-year performance of overnight stays was positive in the three provinces: they were up by 10% in Álava and 2% in Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa.

The average length of stay increased slightly for the Basque Country as a whole, and rose 1.92 days in July of the previous year to 1.95 days this past July. It rose by 6% in Álava and by 4% in Gipuzkoa, while it fell by 1% in Bizkaia. Thus, the average stay in Álava in July 2009 was 1.83 days, which was very similar to the length in Bizkaia (average of 1.82 days), while it was 2.16 days in Gipuzkoa.

The occupancy rate by bed fell by 3%, and dropped from 55.02% in July of last year to 53.31% this July, for the Basque Country as a whole. The rate performed negatively in the three provinces. Álava fell by 2% to a 45.6% occupancy rate, Bizkaia was down by 3% to an occupancy rate of 50.11% and the rate in Gipuzkoa decreased by 4% and had the highest occupancy rate by bed at 60.36%. The occupancy rate by rooms fell by 3% for the Basque Country as a whole.

Rural tourism: The number of visitors fell by( -1%) and overnight stays remained steady (0%).

There were 13,782 visitors registered in July in rural tourism establishments in the Basque Country, 1% fewer than in the same month of the previous year. However, the performance of the three provinces was not uniform. The number of visitors increased by 15% in Álava, but fell by 8% in Bizkaia and 1% in Gipuzkoa. Visitors from within Spain increased in number, with growth of 3% registered for the Autonomous Community as a whole: they were up by 5% in Álava, 4% in Gipuzkoa and remained unchanged in Bizkaia (0%). The number of overseas visitors fell in Bizkaia and in Gipuzkoa, with significant decreases in relative terms, while they doubled in number in Álava.

There were 42,545 overnight stays in rural tourism establishments in the Basque Country in July, which practically remained unchanged compared the same month of the previous year (0%), with year-on-year positive growth being recorded in Álava (14%) , negative in Bizkaia (-5%), while it remained unchanged in Gipuzkoa (0%).

The average length of stay per visitor in the Basque Country overall increased with respect to July 2008, rising from 3.03 days a year ago to 3.09 days this past July.

The occupancy rate per bed was 36.1%, which was down 9% on the same period of the previous year. This decrease was due to the performance of Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa, which stood at 32.56% and 43.28%, respectively, in July 2009, which were decreases of 12 and 8%. Meanwhile, the occupancy rate for Álava was 24.69%, which was practically the same as in July 2008. The occupancy rate per room also fell by 5% in the Basque Country.

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: Nerea Linaza Diarce Tlf:+34-945-01 75 05 Fax:+34-945-01 75 01 Online press releases: www.eustat.es Databank: www.eustat.eus/bancopx/spanish/indice.aspx