Press release dated 22/06/2010
Number of visitors to the Basque Country rose by 11% in May 2010
Number of overnight stays was up by 11% compared to May 2009
In May 2010, there were 202,236 visitors registered in the hotel establishments of the Basque Country, 19,500 up on the same month of the previous year, in other words, a 11% increase, according to Eustat data. The number of visitors rose by 6% in Álava, 10% in Gipuzkoa and 13% in Bizkaia.
The number of visitors from within Spain was up by 8% and the number of overseas visitors rose by 17%. The number of visitors from within Spain increased in the three provinces: They rose by 12% in Bizkaia, by 4% in Gipuzkoa and by 2% in Álava. Foreign visitors were also up in number in the three provinces, with increases of 21% in Álava, 19% in Bizkaia and 14% in Gipuzkoa.
With regard to the visitors from within Spain, the greatest increase in the percentage of visitors was from the Madrid, Galicia, Catalonia, Castilla-La Mancha, C. Valenciana and Cantabria, while only those from Andalusia, Castilla y León, La Rioja and Ceuta & Melilla fell in number. In terms of foreign visitors, there was an increase in those from Germany, Ireland, Italy, Portugal and the United Kingdom, among others, while visitors from Finland, Sweden and Japan fell in number.
Registered overnight stays in May 2010 totalled 370,443, which was 11% up on the same month of the previous year, in other words, there were 36,600 more overnight stays. The year-on-year performance of overnight stays was positive in the three provinces: they rose by 1% in Álava, 5% in Gipuzkoa and 20% in Bizkaia.
The length of the average stay did not change with respect to May 2009, with a duration of 1.83 days in both cases for the Basque Country overall. By provinces, the average stage fell in Álava and Gipuzkoa and it rose in Bizkaia. It went from 1.82 days in Álava in May 2009 to 1.73 days in the same month this year and it fell from 1.93 days in Gipuzkoa in May 2009 to 1.84 days in 2010. In Bizkaia, the average stage rose from 1.74 days in May 2009 to 1.85 days in the same month this year.
The occupancy rate by beds was up 2% to 44.41% in May 2010. It should be noted that this increase affected Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa, where occupancy was up 10% and 1%, respectively, to 44.93% occupancy in Bizkaia and 47.12% in Gipuzkoa. In Álava, the occupancy rate by beds fell by 14% from 43.43% in May last year to 37.24% in the same month in 2010.
RURAL TOURISM
The number of visitors was up by 8% and overnight stays fell by 8% in the Basque Country, compared to May 2009
The number of visitors in rural tourism establishments of the Basque Country totalled 9,769 in May, which was up by 8% with respect to the same month of the previous year, with positive results in the three provinces. The numbers increased by 17% in Bizkaia, 7% in Álava and 2% in Gipuzkoa. The number of visitors from within Spain was up by 9% in the Basque Country: they rose by 24% in Bizkaia, by 3% in Gipuzkoa and remained steady in Álava (0%). The number of foreign visitors remained unchanged for the Basque Country as a whole (0%). However, they fell significantly in number in Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa and rose sharply in Álava, in percentage terms.
There were 21,377 overnight stays in rural tourism establishments in the Basque Country in May, which was 8% down on the same month of the previous year, with year-on-year negative growth being recorded in the three provinces: They fell by 13% in Gipuzkoa, by 5% in Bizkaia and 2% in Álava.
The average length of stay per visitor in the Basque Country overall decreased with respect to May 2009, falling from 2.56 days a year ago to 2.19 days in the same month of 2010, with this negative evolution being recorded in the three provinces. There was a drop in Bizkaia of 19% as the average stay fell from 2.55 days in May 2009 to 2.07 days in 2010. In Gipuzkoa, it was down from an average stay of 2.74 days in May last year to 2.36 this May, and it fell from 2.21 days in May 2009 to 2.03 days in May 2010 in Álava.
The occupancy rate by beds was down by 12%, as it fell from 20.06% to 17.61%, due to the decrease registered in the three provinces: It was down by 15% in Gipuzkoa, 12% in Álava and by 8% 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
Further press releases on EETR - Survey on Tourist Establishments of the Basque Country
Databank on EETR - Survey on Tourist Establishments of the Basque Country