Press release 21/09/2011

SURVEY ON TOURIST ESTABLISHMENTS (EETR) AUGUST 2011

A 0.4% increase in the number of visitors to the Basque Country in August 2011

Overnight stays saw an increase of 3% on August 2010

There were 267,145 visitors registered in the hotel establishments of the Basque Country in August 2011, 1,076 up on the same month of 2010, which, in percentage terms, is 0.4 % higher than the previous year, according to Eustat data. The number of visitors rose by 1% in Araba/Álava and Bizkaia, and fell by 1% in Gipuzkoa.

The number of Spanish visitors fell by 3%, whilst, on the other hand, foreign visitors were up by 5%. There was a rise in visitors from within Spain in Bizkaia, where they increased by 2%, whilst in Araba/Álava there was no change (0%) and in Gipuzkoa they fell by 10%. Foreign visitors increased by 12% in Gipuzkoa, by 3% in Araba/Álava and remained unchanged in Bizkaia, at 0%.

There was a rise in Spanish visitors from Catalonia, the Canaries, Cantabria and Galicia, whereas there was a drop in visitors from Madrid and Castilla y León, amongst others. The greatest number of foreign visitors came from France, Italy, Latin America, Holland and USA-Canada, whilst there was a drop in visitor numbers from Portugal, Germany and the United Kingdom, amongst others.

Registered overnight stays in August 2011 totalled 579,332, which was 3% up on the same month of the previous year, that is, there were 18,961 more overnight stays. There was a positive year-on-year change in overnight stays in Araba/Álava where they rose by 5% and in Bizkaia where they increased by 6%, whilst in Gipuzkoa there was no change (0%) with respect to August 2010.

The average length of stay rose with respect to August 2010, going from 2.11 days in August 2010 to 2.17 days for the same month of 2011, for the Basque Country as a whole. By territory, in Álava/Araba it rose from 1.82 to 1.90, in Bizkaia it rose from 2.04 to 2.13 days and in Gipuzkoa it also rose from 2.31 to 2.33 days.

The bed occupancy rate saw a rise of 2%, standing at 68.19% for August 2011. This rise affected the provinces of Araba/Álava and Bizkaia, which both registered increases of 3%, whilst in Gipuzkoa there was no variation (0%). The bed occupancy rate in Álava/Araba rose from 56.58% in August 2010 to 58.55% in August 2011, in Bizkaia it went from 64.02% to 65.87% and in Gipuzkoa it rose from 75.70% in August 2010 to 75.82% in the same month of this year.



RURAL TOURISM

Visitor numbers rose by 12% and there was a fall in overnight stays (2%) in the Basque Country, compared to August 2010

In August, 17,548 visitors to rural tourism establishments in the Basque Country were recorded, 12% up on the previous year, with positive results in Bizkaia, where there was a rise of 10%, and in Gipuzkoa, which saw an increase of 17%, whereas in Araba/Álava there was a drop of 2%. Spanish visitors were up 10% as a whole in the Basque Country. They rose by 2% in Araba/Álava, by 10% in Bizkaia and by 13% in Gipuzkoa. There was a 20% increase in the number of foreign visitors to the Basque Country as a whole, falling 25% in Álava/Araba but rising 11% in Bizkaia and 51% in Gipuzkoa.

In August, there were 75,145 overnight stays recorded in rural tourism establishments in the Basque Country, which is a drop of 2% with respect to the figures for the previous year, with negative year-on-year growth rates in Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa, where they dropped by 2% and 3% respectively, whilst in Álava/Araba they remained unchanged.

The average length of stay decreased by 12% in the Basque Country as a whole with respect to August 2010, going from 4.87 days one year ago to 4.28 days in August 2011. By province, there was a rise in Álava/Araba (2%), with the average visitor stay going from 3.96 days in August 2010 to 4.03 days in the same month of this year. In Bizkaia the average stay dropped by 11%, going from 4.58 days in August 2010 to 4.09 days in August 2011, with a drop of 17% also being recorded in Gizpuzkoa, where the average stay went from 5.37 days to 4.47 days in August of this year.

The bed occupancy rate registered a decrease of 5% in the Basque Country as a whole, going from 61.89% to 58.58%, as a consequence of the drops experienced in the three provinces. In Araba/Álava it dropped by 9%, in Gipuzkoa there was a decrease of 6% and Bizkaia saw a fall of 2%.



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: Gerardo Pérez Aja Tel: +34-945-01 75 06 Fax:+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