HomeThemesHotel establishmentsPress releases Number of visitors to...

Press release dated 21/12/2010

SURVEY ON TOURIST ESTABLISHMENTS (EETR) NOVEMBER 2010

Number of visitors to the Basque Country rose by 4% in November 2010

Overnight stays increased by 3% in November

In November 2010, there were 161,093 visitors registered in the hotel establishments of the Basque Country, 6,336 up on the same month of the previous year, in other words, a 4% increase, according to Eustat data. The number of visitors rose by 6% in Álava and Gipuzkoa, and by 2% in Bizkaia.

The number of visitors from within Spain was up by 3% and the number of overseas visitors rose by 7%. Visitors from within Spain increased their presence in Álava, up by 9%, and in Gipuzkoa where the figure rose by 5%, while there was no variation in Bizkaia on the previous year (0.0%). The number of foreign visitors rose in Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa, with increases of 9% and 8%, respectively, but fell by 8% in Álava.

With regard to the visitors from within Spain, the greatest increase in the percentage of visitors was among those from Galicia, La Rioja, Madrid, Aragón, Comunidad Valenciana and Navarra, while there was a drop in visitors from Asturias, Canary Islands, Castilla y León, Castilla-La Mancha and Catalonia. As far as visitors from abroad were concerned, there was a rise in numbers particularly from Ibero-America, the United States and Canada, France, Belgium, the Netherlands and those from non-Community European countries. However, there was a fall in numbers from the United Kingdom, Finland, Sweden and Luxembourg.

Registered overnight stays in November 2010 came to 289,210, which was 3% up on the same month of the previous year, in other words, there were 7,316 more overnight stays. The year-on-year evolution of overnight stays was positive in Álava and Bizkaia, up by 10% and 4%, respectively, but fell by 2% in Gipuzkoa.

The length of the average stay fell compared to November 2009, down from 1.82 day in November of last year to 1.80 days for the same month this year, for the Basque Country as a whole. By provinces, it increased from 1.72 to 1.78 days in Álava, from 1.76 to 1.79 days in Bizkaia, while it fell in Gipuzkoa from the 1.95 days registered in November 2009 to the 1.81 days in the same month of this year.

The occupancy rate by beds was down by 2% to 36.81% for the Basque Country overall in November 2010. This fall in numbers affected all three territories: In Álava, the occupancy rate fell by 4%, down from 34.84% in November 2009 to 33.62% in the same month of this year. In Bizkaia, this downturn was 2%, down from 38.05% in November 2009 to 37.34% in November 2010. The drop was 2% in Gipuzkoa, down from 38.51% occupancy in November 2009 to 37.62% in that month this year.

RURAL TOURISM

The number of visitors was up by 8% and of overnight stays remained stable in the Basque Country, compared to November 2009

In November, there were 7,464 visitors in rural tourism establishments of the Basque Country, which was up 8% with respect to the number of visitors in rural tourism establishments in November 2009. By provinces, the number was up by 21% in Álava, 11% in Bizkaia, but it fell by 1% in Gipuzkoa. The number of visitors from within Spain was up by 7% in the Basque Country: up by 21% in Álava, 10% in Bizkaia and down by 1% in Gipuzkoa. The number of foreign visitors was up by 16% for the Basque Country overall. The percentage rise was significant in Álava and Bizkaia, but more moderate in Gipuzkoa.

There were 17,006 overnight stays in rural tourism establishments in the Basque Country in November, which was practically the same figure for the previous year, with year-on-year positive growth being recorded in Álava(9%) and Bizkaia (3%), but it fell in Gipuzkoa by 6%.

The average length of stay per visitor in the Basque Country overall decreased with respect to November 2009, falling from 2.46 days a year ago to 2.28 days in the same month of 2009. The three provinces were affected by this drop. In Álava, the average stay fell by 10% from 2.09 days in November 2009 to 1.88 days in November 2010. In Bizkaia, the figure fell by 7% and the average stay dropped from 2.72 days in November 2009 to 2.53 days in November 2010. The average stay in Gipuzkoa fell by 5% from 2.48 days in November 2009 to 2.35 in the same month of this year.

The degree of occupancy by beds was down by 3%, falling from 15.26% occupancy to 14.80%, as a result in the decrease registered in Gipuzkoa (-7%) and Álava (-1%), that offsets the rise in Bizkaia (2%).