Press Release 22/09/2022
SURVEY ON TOURIST ESTABLISHMENTS. Except hotels. August 2022
Overnight stays in rural accommodation in the Basque Country in August 2022 rose by 5.6%
In tourist apartments, visitor numbers increased by 46.1% and overnight stays by 26.5%
Visitor numbers and overnight stays in rural accommodation in the Basque Country in August 2022 rose to 27,320 and 95,322, respectively, which meant a year-on-year decrease of 6.2% in visitors, but a 5.6% increase in overnight stays, according to Eustat data. In relation to August 2019, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, there were 3,784 more visitors and 4,836 more overnight stays registered. Compared to the previous month, July 2022, the balance was positive for both visitor numbers and overnight stays, with increases of 12.0% and 32.3%, respectively.
Visitors, overnight stays, average length of stay and bed occupancy rates in rural tourism establishments in the Basque Country. August 2022
| | Visitors | Overnight stays | Average stay | Occupancy rates (%) |
| | | by seats | by rooms |
| | 08/2022 | m/m-12 (%) | 08/2022 | m/m-12 (%) | 08/2022 | 08/2021 | 08/2022 | p.p. * | 08/2022 | p.p. * |
| BASQUE COUNTRY | 27.320 | -6,2 | 95.322 | 5,6 | 3,49 | 3,10 | 63,7 | 1,1 | 69,1 | 1,7 |
| State origin | 20.678 | -20,7 | 76.653 | -6,7 | 3,71 | 3,15 | - | - | - | - |
| Foreign origin | 6.642 | 116,3 | 18.669 | 129,3 | 2,81 | 2,65 | - | - | - | - |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Araba/Álava | 4.349 | -17,9 | 13.035 | -1,2 | 3,00 | 2,49 | 38,1 | -1,5 | 46,1 | 0,2 |
| State origin | 3.443 | -28,6 | 10.495 | -13,9 | 3,05 | 2,53 | - | - | - | - |
| Foreign origin | 906 | 89,9 | 2.540 | 154,3 | 2,80 | 2,09 | - | - | - | - |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Bizkaia | 8.770 | 1,8 | 30.740 | 10,7 | 3,51 | 3,22 | 67,9 | 2,0 | 71,6 | 1,4 |
| State origin | 6.729 | -13,5 | 24.372 | -2,4 | 3,62 | 3,21 | - | - | - | - |
| Foreign origin | 2.041 | 143,0 | 6.368 | 126,4 | 3,12 | 3,35 | - | - | - | - |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Gipuzkoa | 14.201 | -6,7 | 51.547 | 4,6 | 3,63 | 3,24 | 73,5 | 1,7 | 79,0 | 2,8 |
| State origin | 10.506 | -22,0 | 41.786 | -7,1 | 3,98 | 3,34 | - | - | - | - |
| Foreign origin | 3.695 | 110,7 | 9.761 | 125,5 | 2,64 | 2,47 | - | - | - | - |
p.p.*= difference in percentage points on the same month of the previous year
m/m12 Rate of year-on-year change in the last observed month (m) compared to the same month of the previous year (m-12)
Date September 22, 2022
Source: Eustat Tourist accommodating establishments survey
Three out of every four visitors registered at rural accommodation in the Basque Country in August 2022 were from the rest of Spain. However, as in previous months, there was significant growth in foreign visitor numbers and overnight stays. In effect, the 6,642 visitors and 18,669 overnight stays by people from abroad recorded in August 2022 represented an increase of 116.3% and 129.3%, respectively, in relation to August of the previous year.
The year-on-year increases in overnight stays in rural accommodation in August 2022 varied by province. They rose by 4.6% in Gipuzkoa and 10.7% in Bizkaia, while in Álava they were down 1.2%.
In the case of visitor numbers, only Bizkaia saw growth in respect of August 2021, with a total of 8,770 visitors, an increase of 1.8%. Conversely, in Gipuzkoa, there was a year-on-year decrease of 6.7%, with a total of 14,201 visitors, and in Álava, where 4,349 visitors were recorded, the drop stood at 17.9%.
The average length of stay at this type of establishment was 3.49 days in August 2022, higher than the 3.10 days observed in the same month of 2021.
Bed and room occupancy rates experienced a slight year-on-year increase of 1.1 and 1.7 percentage points, respectively, with the bed occupancy rate standing at 63.7% and that of rooms at 69.1%.
As regards tourist apartments, in August 2022, visitor numbers and overnight stays totalled 21,057 and 68,395, respectively. In relation to August of the previous year, the year-on-year increase in visitor numbers stood at 46.1% and that of overnight stays at 26.5%. As regards August 2019, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the results obtained at that time, which were 11,748 visitors and 44,323 overnight stays, were comfortably surpassed, i.e. visitor numbers were up 79.2% and overnight stays were up 54.3%.
Visitors, overnight stays, average length of stay and bed occupancy rates in tourist apartments of the Basque Country. August 2022
| | Visitors | Overnight stays | Average stay | Occupancy rates (%) |
| | | by seats | by apartaments |
| | 08/2022 | m/m-12 (%) | 08/2022 | m/m-12 (%) | 08/2022 | 08/2021 | 08/2022 | p.p. * | 08/2022 | p.p. * |
| BASQUE COUNTRY | 21.057 | 46,1 | 68.395 | 26,5 | 3,25 | 3,75 | 51,6 | 4,1 | 65,2 | 6,1 |
| State origin | 12.980 | 14,9 | 44.133 | 0,3 | 3,40 | 3,89 | - | - | - | - |
| Foreign origin | 8.077 | 159,6 | 24.262 | 141,4 | 3,00 | 3,23 | - | - | - | - |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Araba/Álava | 2.402 | 54,9 | 11.458 | 19,3 | 4,77 | 6,20 | 34,5 | 1,1 | 70,2 | 3,6 |
| State origin | 1.904 | 38,8 | 9.790 | 18,2 | 5,14 | 6,04 | - | - | - | - |
| Foreign origin | 498 | 179,1 | 1.668 | 26,0 | 3,35 | 7,43 | - | - | - | - |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Bizkaia | 13.442 | 61,1 | 35.015 | 45,7 | 2,60 | 2,88 | 62,3 | 4,8 | 76,4 | -3,5 |
| State origin | 7.960 | 23,7 | 21.462 | 10,9 | 2,70 | 3,01 | - | - | - | - |
| Foreign origin | 5.482 | 186,6 | 13.553 | 189,3 | 2,47 | 2,45 | - | - | - | - |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Gipuzkoa | 5.213 | 15,4 | 21.922 | 7,3 | 4,20 | 4,52 | 51,0 | 3,7 | 52,5 | 8,1 |
| State origin | 3.116 | -10,9 | 12.881 | -21,4 | 4,13 | 4,69 | - | - | - | - |
| Foreign origin | 2.097 | 105,5 | 9.041 | 123,6 | 4,31 | 3,96 | - | - | - | - |
p.p.*= difference in percentage points on the same month of the previous year
m/m12 Rate of year-on-year change in the last observed month (m) compared to the same month of the previous year (m-12)
Date September 22, 2022
Source: Eustat Tourist accommodating establishments survey
The number of visitors from abroad represented 38.4% of the total number of visitors and 35.5% of overnight stays at tourist apartments in the Basque Country in August 2022, following some significant year-on-year increases of 159.6% in the number of visitors and 141.4% in overnight stays.
The average length of stay for this type of establishment was 3.25 days in August 2022, below that obtained in August 2021, which stood at 3.75 days.
At provincial level, the average length of stay in August 2022 stood at 4.77 days in Álava and 4.20 days in Gipuzkoa, whereas in Bizkaia it was 2.60 days.
The bed occupancy rate at the Basque Country level reached 51.6%, representing an increase of 4.1 percentage points in relation to August 2021. The apartment occupancy rate, following a year-on-year rise of 6.1 percentage points, stood at 65.2%.
Balance for July and August: 2018 to 2022
The trend in visitor numbers and overnight stays in rural accommodation in the Basque Country during July and August 2022 was positive both in relation to 2021, when some of the restrictive measures imposed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic were still in place, and in comparison to previous years.
In effect, the 51,705 visitors registered at rural accommodation in the Basque Country during July and August 2022 clearly exceeded the 48,243 visitors in the same months of 2021 and the 45,005 in 2019. Likewise, the 167,362 overnight stays recorded in the summer months of July and August 2022 surpassed the 150,488 in 2021 and the 154,948 in 2019.
The occupancy rates in rural accommodation in the Basque Country for this two-month summer period also reflect the recovery in activity, with the bed occupancy rate standing at 56.2% and that of rooms at 61.1%, 2.9 percentage points and 3.7 percentage points higher than in the same period of the previous year.
The trend in visitor numbers and overnight stays in tourist apartments in the Basque Country during July and August 2022 was also clearly positive. 40,127 visitors and 128,824 overnight stays were recorded, compared to 25,207 visitors and 93,129 overnight stays in the previous year. In 2019, the number of visitors stood at 22,692 and overnight stays totalled 83,959.
Notes
The response rate of the Survey on Tourist Establishments in August 2022, was 91.8% for Rural Accommodation and 86.4% for Tourist Apartments.
Eustat would like to thank all establishments that participated in this survey for their effort.
For further information:
Eustat - Euskal Estatistika Erakundea / Basque Statistics Institute
C/ Donostia-San Sebastián, 1 01010 Vitoria-Gasteiz
Press Service: Tel.: 945 01 75 62