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Press release 22.02.12

SURVEY ON TOURIST ESTABLISHMENTS (EETR) JANUARY 2012

The number of visitors to the Basque Country was up 4% in January 2012

There was also a rise of 4% in overnight stays

There were 122,321 visitors registered in the hotel establishments of the Basque Country in January 2012, 4,524 up on the same month of the previous year, which is an increase of 4%, according to Eustat data. The number of visitors increased by 3% in Álava/Araba, 6% in Bizkaia and 1% in Gipuzkoa.

The number of Spanish and foreign visitors rose by 4% in both cases. The number of Spanish visitors rose in the three provinces: in Araba/Álava they were up 3%, in Bizkaia 6% and in Gipuzkoa 1%. The number of foreign visitors also increased in the three provinces: in Álava and Gipuzkoa they increased by 2%, and in Bizkaia by 5%.

Amongst travellers from other Autonomous Communities there was a greater percentage increase in those coming from Andalusia, Aragón, Asturias and Navarra, whilst there was a decrease in those from Catalonia, Cantabria and Comunidad Valenciana, on the whole. There was a rise amongst foreign visitors, above all, from the United Kingdom, Latin America and those from European countries outside the community. The drop in visitor numbers from Portugal and Belgium was particularly noteworthy.

Registered overnight stays in January 2012 totalled 217,939, 4% up on the same month of the previous year, that is, there were 7,525 more overnight stays. There was a positive year-on-year change in Overnight stays in Álava and Bizkaia, where they rose by 3% and 8%, respectively, but in Gipuzkoa they were down 2%.

The average length of stay dropped slightly with respect to January 2011, going from 1.79 days a year ago to 1.78 days in January 2012, for the Basque Country as a whole. By provinces, in Álava it dropped from 1.97 to 1.95 days, in Bizkaia it rose from 1.73 to 1.76 days, whilst in Gipuzkoa it went from 1.79 days in January 2011 to 1.73 days in the same month of 2012.

The bed occupancy rate was up 5%, and stood at 29.56% in January 2012 for the Basque Country as a whole. This rise affected the provinces of Bizkaia, where the occupancy rate was up 8%, going from 28.22% in January 2011 to 30.49% in January 2012 and Gipuzkoa, where the rise was 4%, going from 28.56% in January 2011 to 29.74% in January 2012. The occupancy rate in Álava, on the other hand, was down 1%, going from 27.02% in January 2011 to 26.71% in the same month of this year.

RURAL TOURISM

Visitor numbers fell by 1% and overnight stays were down 12%, compared to January 2011

In October this year there were 4,302 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 January 2011. By provinces, it was observed that in Araba/Álava there was a rise of 21%, in Bizkaia there was a drop of 29%, and in Gipuzkoa there was an increase in visitor numbers of 10%. Spanish visitors to the Basque Country were up 2%: they were up by 18% in Álava and 12% in Gipuzkoa, but down by 23% in Bizkaia. There was a significant drop in foreigner numbers in the Community as a whole, with a notable rise in Álava but a fall above all in Bizkaia and to a lesser extent in Gipuzkoa, all in percentage terms.

Overnight stays in rural tourism establishments in the Basque Country stood at 10,076 in January, which was a reduction of 12% on the previous year, whilst the year-on-year figures for Gipuzkoa were positive, growing 1%, whereas in Álava they were down 4% and in Bizkaia 36%.

The average length of stay decreased in the Basque Country as a whole with respect to January 2011, going from 2.65 days one year ago to 2.34 days in January 2012. In Araba/Álava there was a drop of 21%, with the average stay going from 2.75 days in January 2011 to 2.18 days in January 2012; in Bizkaia the drop was 9%, with the average stay going from 2.79 days in January 2011 to 2.53 days in January 2012, and in Gipuzkoa there was an 8% reduction in the average stay, where it went from 2.53 days in January 2011 to 2.32 days in the same month of this year.

The bed occupancy rate saw a drop of 17%, where it went from 10.28% occupancy to 8.55%, as a result of the fall experienced in the three provinces. In Bizkaia there was a drop of 35%, in Álava the fall was 9% and in Gipuzkoa 8%.