Press release dated 21/07/2010

SURVEY ON TOURIST ESTABLISHMENTS (EETR) JUNE 2010

Number of visitors to the Basque Country rose by 18% in June 2010

Overnight stays were also up by 18% compared to June 2009

In June 2010, there were 204,796 visitors registered in the hotel establishments of the Basque Country, 31,000 up on the same month of the previous year, in other words, a 18% increase, according to Eustat data. The number of visitors rose by 27% in Álava, 20% in Bizkaia and 12% in Gipuzkoa.

The number of visitors from within Spain was up by 14% and the number of overseas visitors rose by 27%. The number of visitors from within Spain increased in the three provinces: They were up by 21% in Álava, by 17% in Bizkaia and 6% in Gipuzkoa. Foreign visitors were also up in number in the three provinces, with increases of 48% in Álava, 27% in Bizkaia and 21% in Gipuzkoa.

With regard to the visitors from within Spain, the greatest increase in the percentage of visitors was among those from Catalonia. Comunidad Valenciana, Asturias, Galicia, the Canary Islands and Cantabria, while there was a downturn in the number from Andalusia, Castilla y León and Navarra. In terms of foreign visitors, there was an increase, to a greater or lesser extent, in those from all countries except from Luxembourg. Special mention should be made of the percentage increases in those from Germany, Belgium, Portugal and the United Kingdom.

Registered overnight stays in June 2010 totalled 382,277, which was 18% up on the same month of the previous year, in other words, there were 59,300 more overnight stays. The year-on-year performance of overnight stays was positive in the three provinces: it rose by 28% in Álava, by 22% in Bizkaia and by 11% in Gipuzkoa.

The length of the average stay increased slightly compared to June 2009, rising from an average stay of 1.86 days in June 2009 to 1.87 days in June this year, for the Basque Country overall. By provinces, there was no change in Álava (1.79 days), it fell from 1.97 to 1.96 days in Gipuzkoa and rose from 1.79 to 1.82 days in Bizkaia.

The occupancy rate by beds was up to 11% to 47.89% in June 2010. It should be noted that this rise affected all three provinces. It rose by 11% in Álava and Gipuzkoa, in both cases, and by 13% in Bizkaia. The occupancy rate by beds in Álava rose from 37.49% in June 2009 to 41.51% in June 2010. It increase from 47.87% to 53.07% in Gipuzkoa and from 41.05% in Bizkaia in June 2009 to 46.32% in the same month of this year.



RURAL TOURISM

The number of visitors was up by 5% and of overnight stays increased by 6% in the Basque Country, compared to June 2009

The number of visitors in rural tourism establishments of the Basque Country totalled 10,232 in June, which was up by 5% with respect to the same month of the previous year, with positive results in Álava (17%) and Bizkaia (10%), while it fell by 3% in Gipuzkoa. The number of visitors from within Spain was up by 7% in the Basque Country: it was up by 18% in Álava, 7% in Bizkaia and 2% in Gipuzkoa. The number of overseas visitors decreased by 15% throughout the Basque Country, as there was a significant drop in the number in Gipuzkoa and to a lesser degree in Álava, while it rose significantly in Bizkaia in percentage terms.

There were 24,389 overnight stays in rural tourism establishments in the Basque Country in June, which was 6% up on the same month of the previous year, with year-on-year positive growth being recorded in the three provinces: The numbers increased by 17% in Álava, 6% in Bizkaia and 3% in Gipuzkoa.

The average stay per traveller increased slightly for the Basque Country overall compared to June 2009. It rose from 2.36 days a year ago to 2.38 in June of this year, with this positive trend being recorded in Gipuzkoa, up 6% as the average stay rose from 2.45 days in June 2009 to 2.59 days in June 2010, and in Álava where it was up from 2.09 days in June last year to 2.10 in June this year. On the other hand, the length of the average stage fell by 4% in Bizkaia, down from 2.37 days in June 2009 to 2.28 in June 2010.

The degree of occupancy by beds rose by 2%, rising from 20.48% occupancy to 20.79%, as a result in the increase noted in the three provinces: Álava was up by 5%, while it was 1% in the case of both Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa.



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