Press Release 20/08/2014

SURVEY ON TOURISTESTABLISHMENTS (EETR) JULY 2014

Visitors to hotel establishments in the Basque Country increased by 0.4% in July 2014

The number of overnight stays registered an increase of 1.9% compared to the same month of the previous year

There were 261,168 visitors registered in the hotel establishments of the Basque Country in July 2014, 933 up on the same month of the previous year, which is an increase of 0.4%, according to Eustat data. The number of visitors was up 1.1% in Gipuzkoa and 1.0% in Bizkaia, whereas in Álava there was a drop of 3.7%.

Furthermore, overnight stays registered in hotel establishments of the Basque Country in July 2014 reached 529,117, which was an increase of 1.9% on those registered in July of the previous year, that is, there were 9,808 more overnight stays. There was a year-on-year positive evolution for overnight stays in Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa where they were up by 3.0% and 2.0%, respectively. For its part, there was a 1.8% drop in Álava.

The number of visitors from within Spain fell by 0.8% compared to July of the previous year, whilst the number of visitors from abroad rose by 1.7%. Álava saw a decrease in foreign visitors of 6.9% and in Spanish visitors of 1.9%. In Bizkaia the number of visitors from abroad was up by 1.6%, and the number of Spanish visitors rose by 0.6%. In Gipuzkoa there was an increase in foreign visitor numbers of 4.2%, and the number of Spanish visitors fell by 2.0%.

The average length of stay stood at 2.03 days and represented an increase with respect to that of July the previous year, which was 2.00 days. In Álava it went from 1.88 days in July 2013 to 1.92 this July; in Bizkaia it rose from 1.91 days in July 2013 to 1.95 days this July; and for its part, the average length of stay in Gipuzkoa rose from 2.14 days in July 2013 to 2.16 days this July.

There was an increase of over two percentage points in the bed occupancy rate for the Basque Country overall, where it went from 57.8% in July 2013 to 59.9% in July this year. In Álava there was a drop of 1.2 percentage points, where it went from 50.8% occupancy in July 2013 to 49.6% this July. Bizkaia saw an increase of 3.8 percentage points, going from a bed occupancy rate of 54.4% in July 2013 to a rate of 58.2% in July 2014. In Gipuzkoa the occupancy rate increased by 1.1 percentage points, going from 65.1% in July 2013 to 66.2% in July 2014.

The occupancy rate per room was also positive, up by 1.7 percentage points for the Basque Country overall, where the occupancy rate per room stood at 68.1%. In Álava it was down by 1.5 percentage points, standing at 57.8%; in Bizkaia it increased by 3.5 percentage points, standing at 67.0%, whereas in Gipuzkoa it rose by 0.6 percentage points, standing at 73.6% occupancy per room.

The highest hotel bed occupancy rate in July this year was in Donostia-San Sebastián (78.3%), followed by the coast of Gipuzkoa (69.5%) and the metropolitan area of Bilbao (62.3%). Taking into account the day of the week, at weekends there was a higher occupancy in the Basque Country as a whole in July 2014, with 70.5% of places occupied, and the registered occupancy stood at 56.1% on weekdays.

The number of personnel employed in hotel establishments in the Basque Country in July decreased by 2.1%, with regards to July 2013.

The bed occupancy rate during the Vitoria-Gasteiz Jazz Festival stood at 65.6% in the hotel establishments of Álava

Visitor numbers during the 2014 Vitoria-Gasteiz Jazz Festival increased to 7,372 in the hotel establishments of Álava. These were visits that lasted from 14 to 19 July 2014 (6 nights). In this same period there were 14,936 overnight stays for the total of Álava, 16.8% up on 2013, although it must be taken into account that the festival was one day shorter in 2013, between 16 and 20 July (5 nights). There was also an increase in visitor numbers of 8.4% in the province overall compared to the 2013 festival period. In 2014 the bed occupancy rate was 54.5%. In Vitoria-Gasteiz there were 4,897 visitors and 10,605 overnight stays, with a bed occupancy rate of 56.2% a room occupancy rate of 71.1%. Compared to 2013 visitor numbers increased by 7.4% and overnight stays by 13.6& in the capital.

The occupancy rate per room during the Getxo International Jazz Festival stood at 62.7% in the hotel establishments of Bizkaia

Visitor numbers during the 2014 Getxo International Jazz Festival increased to 18,584 in the hotel establishments of Bizkaia. These were visits that lasted from 2 to 06 July 2014 (5 nights). In this same period, the total number of overnight stays in Bizkaia was 34,483, with an occupancy rate per room of 52.7%. In the Metropolitan Area of Bilbao (not including Bilbao) the occupancy rate per room stood at 61.7% and per bed it was 54.3%. Compared to 2013, when the festival was held between 3 and 7 July (5 nights), both visitor numbers and overnight stays increased by 2% in Bizkaia and by 10.3% for visitor numbers in the case of the Metropolitan Area (excluding Bilbao), and by 8.4% for overnight stays.

The occupancy rate per room during the BBK Live Festival stood at 86% in the hotel establishments of Bizkaia

Visitor numbers during the 2014 BBK Live Festival increased to 14,854 in the hotel establishments of Bizkaia. These were visits that lasted from 10 to 12 July 2014 (3 nights). In this same period, the total number of overnight stays in Bizkaia was 31,119, with an occupancy rate per room of 78.2%. In Bilbao there were 8,452 visitors and 19,096 overnight stays, with a room occupancy rate of 91.1% a bed occupancy rate of 82.3%. With regards to 2013, when BBK Live took place between 11 and 13 July (3 nights), visitor numbers fell by 2.2% and overnight stays by 4.6% for Bizkaia as a whole, although the bed occupancy rate remained the same and grew slightly in the case of rooms. In Bilbao, visitor numbers were also down by 4.5% and overnight stays by 6.5%.

The occupancy rate per room during the Donostia-San Sebastián Jazz Festival stood at 77.2% in the hotel establishments of Gipuzkoa

Visitor numbers during the 2014 Donostia-San Sebastián Jazz Festival increased to 18,464 in the hotel establishments of Gipuzkoa. These were visits that lasted from 23 to 27 July 2014 (5 nights). In this same period, the total number of overnight stays in Gipuzkoa was 38,605, with an occupancy rate per room of 71.1%. In Donostia-San Sebastián there were 9,784 visitors and 21,800 overnight stays, with a room occupancy rate of 90.4% a bed occupancy rate of 83.5%. Compared to 2013, when the festival was held between 24 and 28 July (5 nights), in Gipuzkoa both visitor numbers and overnight stays increased by 1.6% and 1.8%, respectively, and in Donostia-San Sebastián visitors were up by 11.6% and overnight stays by 5.0%.

Visitor numbers increased by 2.7% in rural accommodation and overnight stays rose by 6.9% in July

Rural tourism establishments and country cottages in the Basque Country recorded a total of 47,969 overnight stays in July, with an increase of 6.9% with respect to the same month of the previous year. At provincial level, they dropped 24.3% in Álava, they were up by 24.2% in Bizkaia and rose by 4.8% in Gipuzkoa.

The bed occupancy rate stood at 38.4% with a rise of 4.2 percentage points from the figures obtained in July 2013. Álava also recorded a decrease of 3.6 percentage points, with a bed occupancy rate of 14.4%. In Bizkaia the occupancy rate stood at 39.8%, representing an increase of 8.8 percentage points in comparison with July 2013. For its part, Gipuzkoa experienced a rise of 4.8 percentage points, with an occupancy rate of 48.2% for July.

There were 15,649 visitors to rural tourism establishments in the Basque Country in July, 2.7% more than the same month of the previous year. By province, in Álava the number of visitors dropped by 24.1%, in Bizkaia there was an increase of 23.7%, and in Gipuzkoa there was a decrease of 0.3%.

The 3,371 visitors originating from abroad signified an increase of 15.0% with regards to those received a year ago and represented 21.5% of the total number of visitors. For its part, the number of visitors from within Spain fell by 0.3%.

Finally, the average length of stay per visitor increased this July compared to July 2013, standing at 3.07 days.

For further information:

Eustat - Euskal Estatistika Erakundea / Basque Statistics Institute C/ Donostia-San Sebastián, 1 01010 Vitoria-Gasteiz Press Service: servicioprensa@eustat.eus Tel: 945 01 75 62 Further press releases on EETR – Survey on Tourist Establishments of the Basque Country Databank on EETR – Survey on Tourist Establishments of the Basque Country