Press release 22/11/2011
The number of visitors to the Basque Country rose by 2% in October 2011
There was an increase of 0.3% in overnight stays in October
There were 210,686 visitors registered in the hotel establishments of the Basque Country in October 2011, 3,705 up on the same month of the previous year, which is an increase of 2%, according to Eustat data. The number of visitors rose by 8% in Araba/Álava and by 5% in Bizkaia, but they fell by 5% in Gipuzkoa.
The number of Spanish visitors remained practically unchanged (0%), and foreign visitors were up by 6%. Spanish visitors increased their presence in the provinces of Araba/Álava and Bizkaia, where they grew by 5% and 4%, respectively, whilst in Gipuzkoa there was a drop of 8%. The number of foreign visitors rose in the three provinces: they were up by 22% in Araba/Álava, by 7% in Bizkaia and 2% in Gipuzkoa.
There was a greater percentage increase of Spanish visitors amongst those coming from La Rioja, Cantabria, Andalusia, Valencia and Castilla-La Mancha, whilst there was a drop in those coming from Madrid, Asturias and Navarra, amongst others. The rise in foreign visitors from Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy and Eastern Europe was especially noticeable. There was a drop in those coming from France, Portugal, Belgium, Denmark and Holland.
Registered overnight stays in October 2011 totalled 399,677, which was 0.3% up on the same month of the previous year, that is, there were 1,107 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 there was an increase of 1%; In Gipuzkoa, however, there was a drop of 3%.
The average length of stay decreased with respect to October 2010, going from 1.93 days in October 2010 to 1.90 days for the same month of 2011, for the Basque Country as a whole. By provinces, in Araba/Álava it dropped from 1.85 to 1.79 days and in Bizkaia it dropped from 1.95 to 1.88 days, whilst in Gipuzkoa there was an increase from the 1.93 days registered in October 2010 to 1.97 days in October 2011.
There was no appreciable variation in the bed occupancy rate (0%), where it remained at 48.45% in October 2011 for the Basque Country as a whole. There was a rise in Araba/Álava, where the occupancy rate rose by 4%, going from 40.86% in October 2010 to 42.39% in October 2011, in Bizkaia there was a drop of 2%, going from 50.14% in October 2010 to 49.31% in October 2011 and in Gipuzkoa the change was practically unnoticeable, going from a 50.29% occupancy rate in October 2010 to 50.22% in October of this year.
RURAL TOURISM
Visitor numbers fell by 1% and there was a fall in overnight stays (9%) in the Basque Country, compared to October 2010
In October this year there were 10,316 registered visitors to rural tourism establishments in the Basque Country, which was a drop of 1% with respect to the visitors to rural tourism establishments in October 2010. By provinces, it was observed that in Araba/Álava there was no change (0%), in Bizkaia there was a drop of 12%, whereas in Gipuzkoa there was an increase in visitor numbers of 5%. Spanish visitors were down 4% as a whole in the Basque Country. They rose 3% in Gipuzkoa, whereas they fell 8% in Araba/Álava and by 11% in Bizkaia. There was a 31% increase in foreign visitors in the Community as a whole, where there was a significant drop in numbers in Bizkaia and a noticeable rise in Araba/Álava and Gipuzkoa, in percentage terms.
There were 23,278 overnight stays in rural tourism establishments of the Basque Country in October, which was 9% down on the same month of the previous year, with significantly negative year-on-year rates in the three provinces: In Álava/Araba they were down by 7%, in Bizkaia 16% and in Gipuzkoa 5%.
The average length of stay decreased in the Basque Country as a whole with respect to October 2010, going from 2.45 days one year ago to 2.26 days in October 2011. This decrease affected the three provinces. In Araba/Álava there was a drop of 7%, with the average stay going from 2.23 days in October 2010 to 2.08 days in October 2011, in Bizkaia the drop was 5%, with the average stay going from 2.43 days in October 2010 to 2.31 days in October 2011, and in Gipuzkoa there was a 10% reduction in the average stay, where it went from 2.57 days in October 2010 to 2.32 days in October of this year.
The bed occupancy rate saw a drop of 10%, where it went from 20.93% occupancy to 18.81%, as a result of the fall experienced in the three provinces: In Álava/Araba it was down by 12%, in Bizkaia 14% and in Gipuzkoa 7%.
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