Press release 20/09/2023
SURVEY ON TOURIST ESTABLISHMENTS. Hotels. August 2023
Hotel establishments in the Basque Country registered 896,915 overnight stays during August 2023, up 6.9% on August 2022
The room occupancy rate reached 87.5% and prices increased by 9.0% in August 2023
In August 2023, visitor numbers at hotel establishments in the Basque Country rose by 3.5% and overnight stays by 6.9% in year-on-year terms, according to Eustat data. The 411,372 registered visitors gave rise to a total of 896,915 overnight stays.
Foreign tourists accounted for 51.9% of visitors and 48.6% of overnight stays, following rises of 9.6% in the case of visitors and 15.2% in that of overnight stays.
Visitors, overnight stays and average stay in hotel establishments in the Basque Country. August 2023
| | Visitors | Overnight stays | Average stay |
| | 08/2023 | m/m-12 (%) | 08/2023 | m/m-12 (%) | 08/2023 | 08/2022 |
| BASQUE COUNTRY | 411.372 | 3,5 | 896.915 | 6,9 | 2,18 | 2,11 |
| State origin | 197.846 | -2,4 | 461.128 | 0,1 | 2,33 | 2,27 |
| Foreign origin | 213.526 | 9,6 | 435.787 | 15,2 | 2,04 | 1,94 |
| | | | | | | |
| Araba/Álava | 58.815 | 5,2 | 118.406 | 12,4 | 2,01 | 1,88 |
| State origin | 36.096 | 7,9 | 81.093 | 12,8 | 2,25 | 2,15 |
| Foreign origin | 22.719 | 1,1 | 37.313 | 11,4 | 1,64 | 1,49 |
| Vitoria-Gasteiz | 43.705 | 7,8 | 90.765 | 17,8 | 2,08 | 1,90 |
| | | | | | | |
| Bizkaia | 190.784 | 1,7 | 408.804 | 5,4 | 2,14 | 2,07 |
| State origin | 92.070 | -5,8 | 208.100 | -3,5 | 2,26 | 2,21 |
| Foreign origin | 98.714 | 9,7 | 200.704 | 16,6 | 2,03 | 1,91 |
| Bilbao | 127.792 | 2,8 | 269.518 | 6,6 | 2,11 | 2,03 |
| | | | | | | |
| Gipuzkoa | 161.773 | 5,0 | 369.705 | 6,9 | 2,29 | 2,25 |
| State origin | 69.680 | -2,8 | 171.935 | -0,8 | 2,47 | 2,42 |
| Foreign origin | 92.093 | 11,8 | 197.770 | 14,6 | 2,15 | 2,10 |
| Donostia / San Sebastian | 97.836 | 7,3 | 230.927 | 9,1 | 2,36 | 2,32 |
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 20, 2023
Source: Eustat Tourist accommodating establishments survey
In Álava, there were 58,815 visitors and 118,406 overnight stays, 5.2% and 12.4% more than in August the previous year. In Bizkaia, growth reached 1.7% in the case of visitors and 5.4% in that of overnight stays, with a total of 190,784 visitors and 408,804 overnight stays. In Gipuzkoa, 161,773 visitors were registered in August 2023 (5.0% more than in August 2022) and there were 369,705 overnight stays (6.9% more than in the same month of the previous year).
By provincial capital, visitor numbers rose by 7.8% in Vitoria-Gasteiz, 7.3% in San Sebastián and 2.8% in Bilbao. Likewise, the increase in overnight stays compared to August the previous year reached 17.8% in Vitoria-Gasteiz, 9.1% in Bilbao and 6.6% in San Sebastián.
The average length of stay in hotel establishments in the Basque Country during August 2023 was 2.18 days, higher than the 2.11 days observed in the same month of the previous year. The average length of stay refers to the number of days that, on average, travellers remain in each of the establishments where they stay overnight, and not the total length of their stay in the Basque Country.
Bed occupancy rates and profitability in hotel establishments in the Basque Country. August 2023
| | Occupancy rates (%) | Profitability |
| | by seats | by rooms | ADR (euros) | RevPAR (euros) |
| | 08/2023 | p.p. * | 08/2023 | p.p. * | 08/2023 | m/m-12 (%) | 08/2023 | m/m-12 (%) |
| BASQUE COUNTRY | 80,3 | 1,9 | 87,5 | 2,2 | 135,96 | 9,0 | 118,91 | 11,8 |
| | | | | | | | | |
| Araba/Álava | 73,8 | 3,7 | 84,3 | 2,6 | 94,56 | 4,2 | 79,72 | 7,4 |
| Vitoria-Gasteiz | 74,0 | 5,5 | 87,3 | 3,6 | 85,22 | 7,3 | 74,41 | 11,9 |
| | | | | | | | | |
| Bizkaia | 79,7 | 2,4 | 87,2 | 3,7 | 117,40 | 10,3 | 102,39 | 15,2 |
| Bilbao | 84,8 | 3,7 | 91,4 | 5,7 | 129,20 | 9,4 | 118,03 | 16,7 |
| | | | | | | | | |
| Gipuzkoa | 83,3 | 0,7 | 88,8 | 0,2 | 170,56 | 9,2 | 151,51 | 9,5 |
| Donostia / San Sebastian | 86,6 | 1,0 | 91,3 | 1,5 | 210,36 | 6,7 | 192,07 | 8,5 |
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 20, 2023
Source: Eustat Tourist accommodating establishments survey
The occupancy rate for the Basque Country as a whole in August stood at 80.3% in the case of beds and 87.5% in that of rooms. In relation to August 2022, the increases stood at 1.9 and 2.2 percentage points, respectively.
The average daily rate (applied to a double room with a bathroom offered as room only accommodation), or ADR was 135.96 euros in August 2023 in the Basque Country, which was a rise of 9.0% in respect of August 2022. The ADR stood at 170.56 euros in Gipuzkoa, 117.40 euros in Bizkaia and 94.56 euros in Álava. By provincial capital, the differences were greater, given that the ADR reached 210.36 euros in San Sebastián, 129.20 euros in Bilbao and, lastly, 85.22 euros in Vitoria-Gasteiz.
The RevPar, or average revenue per available room, was 118.91 euros in hotel establishments in the Basque Country in August 2023, 11.8% higher than that obtained in the same month of the previous year.
In August, all three provincial capitals of the Basque Country celebrated their patron saint festivities or Semana Grande (Big Week) festivals. During the Virgen Blanca festival (4 to 9 August), there were 9,119 visitors and 18,932 overnight stays in hotel establishments in Vitoria-Gasteiz, 12.3% and 16.6% higher than those recorded during the same period of the previous year. This year, occupancy rates in this type of establishment reached 79.7% in the case of beds and 92.9% in that of rooms during the festivities.
San Sebastián’s Aste Nagusia (Big Week) was celebrated from 12 to 19 August in 2023. During this period, a total of 26,852 visitors and 62,432 overnight stays were registered. Compared to the previous year’s Aste Nagusia, there was an increase in both visitor numbers (11.6%) and overnight stays (11.4%). The occupancy rate was 90% in the case of beds and 94.3% in the case of rooms.
Lastly, Bilbao’s Aste Nagusia celebrations took place between 19 and 27 August 2023, during which the number of visitors to hotel establishments was 36,743 and overnight stays 77,801. Both figures are higher than those observed the previous year: 9.9% in the case of visitor numbers and 10.0% in that of overnight stays. The bed occupancy rate was 84.3% and the room occupancy rate reached 91.6%.
Informative note
The response rate for the Survey on Tourist Establishments - Hotels in August 2023 was 89.7%. Eustat would like to thank all establishments that participated in this survey for their effort.
Data browser for tourism in the Basque Country. Hotel establishments
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