Press Release 20.07.12

SURVEY ON TOURIST ESTABLISHMENTS (EETR ) JUNE 2012

The number of visitors to the Basque Country was down 1.1% in June 2012

There was a rise of 0.6% in overnight stays

There were 218,040 visitors registered in the hotel establishments of the Basque Country in June 2012, 2,374 down on the same month of the previous year, which is a decrease of 1.1%, according to Eustat data. The number of visitors increased by 1.5% in Bizkaia, but dropped 1.4% in Álava and 4% in Gipuzkoa.

Numbers of visitors from Spain fell by 2.2% in the Basque Country as a whole. There was a rise in visitors from within Spain in Bizkaia, where they increased by 1.5%, however in Álava they were down by 3.8% and in Gipuzkoa they fell by 6.4%. The number of foreign visitors to the Basque Country was up by 1%. In Gipuzkoa they were down by 0.6%, but in Bizkaia they rose 1.3% and in Álava they increased by 6.2%.

Amongst travellers from other Autonomous Communities there was a greater percentage increase in those coming from Madrid, Andalusia, and Asturias, whilst there was a decrease mainly in those coming from Catalonia and Castilla y León. There was a rise amongst foreign visitors, above all, from the United Kingdom, the USA and Canada, and those from European countries outside the community. The drop in visitors from France, Germany and Italy was particularly noticeable.

Registered overnight stays in June 2012 totalled 408,828, which was 0.6% up on the same month of the previous year, that is, there were 2,314 more overnight stays. There was a positive year-on-year change in overnight stays in Bizkaia, where they rose by 4.8%, and in Álava they practically repeated the figures for the previous June (0.1%), but in Gipuzkoa they were down 4%.

The average length of stay increased by 2.2% with respect to June 2011 for the Basque Country as a whole, going from 1.84 days in June 2011 to 1.88 days in June 2012. In Álava the average stay in was 1.81 days compared to the 1.78 days recorded in June 2011; in Bizkaia it went from 1.81 days to 1.86 this June and in Gipuzkoa the average stay was 1.91 days, which was a repeat of the figures for June 2011.

The bed occupancy rate was up 1.8%, and stood at 51.28% in June 2012 for the Basque Country overall. This drop particularly affected Bizkaia, where there was an increase of 6.1%, going from 47.68% in June 2011 to 50.57% in June 2012. In Gipuzkoa there was a slight negative variation, where it went from 57.25% in June 2011 to 56.67% in June 2012 and in Álava there was also a drop, with occupancy going from 43.53% in June 2011 to 42.37% in June 2012.

RURAL TOURISM

Visitor numbers fell by 6.8% and overnight stays were down 11.6%, compared to June 2011

In June this year there were 11,105 registered visitors to rural tourism establishments in the Basque Country, which was a drop of 6.8% with respect to the visitors to rural tourism establishments in June 2011. By provinces, it was observed that in Álava there was a drop of 8.5%, whilst visitor numbers were down by 6.4% in both Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa. Spanish visitors were down 7.6% as a whole in the Basque Country: they were down by 12.1% in Álava, 7.2% in Bizkaia and by 5.9% in Gipuzkoa. Foreign visitor numbers were down by 1.7% in the Basque Country overall, rising significantly in Álava, but dropping in Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa, all in percentage terms.

There were 25,038 overnight stays in the rural tourism establishments of the Basque Country in June, which was 11.6% down on the same month of the previous year, with negative year-on-year rates in the three provinces: In Álava they were down by 18.6%, in Gipuzkoa 13.4% and in Bizkaia they fell by 2.9%.

The average length of stay per visitor decreased in the Basque Country as a whole with respect to June 2011, going from 2.38 days one year ago to 2.25 days in June 2012. In Álava there was a drop of 10.7%, with the average stay going from 2.42 days in June 2011 to 2.16 days in June 2012; in Gipuzkoa the drop was 7.3%, with the average stay going from 2.45 days in June 2011 to 2.27 days in June 2012, and in Bizkaia the average stay was down by 3.6%, going from 2.21 days in June 2011 to 2.29 days for the same month of this year.

The bed occupancy rate registered a fall of 12.4%, going from 23.42% occupancy to 20.52% as a result of the drops experienced in the provinces of Álava and Gipuzkoa, which were down 14.3% and 19.4%, respectively. In Bizkaia, however, there was a rise of 1.2%.

For further information:

UBasque Statistics Office C/ Donostia-San Sebastián, 1 01010 Vitoria-Gasteiz Tel: +34-945-01 75 00 Fax:+34-945-01 75 01 E-mail: HUeustat@eustat.esUH 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