Press release 19/02/2010
Number of visitors rose by 12% in January 2010
Number of overnight stays was up by 7% compared to January 2009
There were 112,615 visitors registered in the hotel establishments of the Basque Country in January 2010, 11,600 up on the same month of the previous year, in other words, a 12% increase, according to Eustat data. The number of visitors rose by 21% in Álava, 14% in Gipuzkoa and 7% in Bizkaia.
The number of visitors from within Spain was up by 10% and the number of overseas visitors rose by 18%. The number of visitors from within Spain increased in the three provinces: it rose by 28% in Álava, 7% in Bizkaia and 5% in Gipuzkoa. Foreign visitors rose in number in Gipuzkoa and Bizkaia, with increases of 40% and 7%, respectively, while Álava registered a fall of 3%.
With regard to the visitors from within Spain, the greatest increase in the percentage of visitors was from the Balearic Islands, Castilla-Leon and Catalonia, while only those from Castilla-La Mancha, Murcia and Ceuta & Melilla fell in number. As far as foreign visitors were concerned, there was an increase in those from France, Belgium, Finland and the United Kingdom and there was only a drop in the number from Denmark, the Netherlands, Sweden and Japan.
Registered overnight stays in January 2010 totalled 195,116, which was 7% up on the same month of the previous year, in other words, there were 12,000 more overnight stays. The year-on-year performance of overnight stays was positive in the three provinces: it rose in Álava by 10% and was up by 7% and 5% in Gipukoa and Bizkaia, respectively.
The average length of stay for the Basque Country as a whole went from 1.81 days in the previous year to 1.73 in January of this year. This index fell in the three provinces: they were down by 9% in Álava, by 6% in Gipuzkao and by 2% in Bizkaia. Thus, the average stay in Álava in January 2010 was 1.65 days, 1.72 days in Bizkaia, while it stood at 1.78 days in Gipuzkoa.
The occupancy rate by beds was down 2% to 25.62% in January 2010. It should be noted that this fall affected Álava (-12%), where occupancy was 21.18%, and Bizkaia (-2%) with 25.51%. However, the occupancy rate in Gipuzkoa rose 4% compared to January 2009 (28.12%).
RURAL TOURISM
The number of visitors was up by 3% and of overnight stays remained stable in the Basque Country, compared to January 2009.
There were 4,257 visitors registered in January in rural tourism establishments in the Basque Country, 3% up on the same month of last year. The number in Bizkaia was up by 46%, while it fell by 13% in Gipuzkoa and 6% in Álava. The increase in the number of visitors from the rest of Spain was 4% in the Basque Country: there were 47% more in Bizkaia, but fell by 9% and 11% in Álava and Gipuzkoa, respectively. The number of overseas visitors decreased by 15% throughout the Basque Country, as there was a significant drop in the number in Gipuzkoa. However, they increased visibly in Álava and Bizkaia in percentage terms.
There were 10,642 overnight stays in rural tourism establishments in the Basque Country in January, which was practically the same figure for the previous year, with year-on-year positive growth being recorded in Bizkaia (23%), but it fell inÁlava and Gipuzkoa by 18% and 1%, respectively.
The average length of stay per visitor in the Basque Country overall decreased with respect to January 2009, going from 2.56 days a year ago to 2.50 days this January. This negative trend was recorded in Bizkaia and Álava, while this index rose in Gipuzkoa (14%).
The occupancy rate by bed fell by 3%, down from 9.81% occupancy to 9.55%, as a result of the decreases recorded in Álava (-26%) and Gipuzkoa (-4%), while there was a 24% increase in Bizkaia.
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: www.eustat.eus/bancopx/english/indice.asp