Press Release 21/03/2025
SURVEY ON TOURIST ESTABLISHMENTS. Except hotels. February 2025
Visitor numbers for rural accommodation in the Basque Country rose by 2.5% and were up 30.2% for tourist apartments in February 2025
Tourist hotels registered 11,302 visitors, 39.3% more than in February last year
The number of visitors in rural accommodation in the Basque Country rose by 2.5% in February 2025 compared to the same month of the previous year, according to Eustat data. With this year-on-year increase, the total number of visitors in February stood at 5,984. However, the number of overnight stays fell by 3.3% in year-on-year terms in February 2025, standing at 11,797 for the month as a whole.
Visitors, overnight stays, average length of stay and bed occupancy rates in rural tourism establishments in the Basque Country. February 2025
| | Visitors | Overnight stays | Average stay | Occupancy rates (%) |
| | | by seats | by rooms |
| | 02/2025 | m/m-12 (%) | 02/2025 | m/m-12 (%) | 02/2025 | 02/2024 | 02/2025 | p.p. * | 02/2025 | p.p. * |
| BASQUE COUNTRY | 5.984 | 2,5 | 11.797 | -3,3 | 1,97 | 2,09 | 12,6 | -0,3 | 16,5 | 0,6 |
| State origin | 5.158 | 0,9 | 9.781 | -4,1 | 1,90 | 2,00 | - | - | - | - |
| Foreign origin | 826 | 13,8 | 2.016 | 1,2 | 2,44 | 2,74 | - | - | - | - |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Araba/Álava | 1.038 | 16,2 | 2.371 | 39,1 | 2,28 | 1,91 | 10,0 | 2,8 | 14,4 | 5,2 |
| State origin | 931 | 23,5 | 1.874 | 49,3 | 2,01 | 1,66 | - | - | - | - |
| Foreign origin | 107 | -23,0 | 497 | 10,7 | 4,64 | 3,23 | - | - | - | - |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Bizkaia | 1.353 | -0,1 | 2.687 | 1,0 | 1,99 | 1,96 | 9,9 | -0,1 | 13,3 | 0,6 |
| State origin | 1.227 | -0,6 | 2.391 | -2,6 | 1,95 | 1,99 | - | - | - | - |
| Foreign origin | 126 | 4,1 | 296 | 44,4 | 2,35 | 1,69 | - | - | - | - |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Gipuzkoa | 3.593 | 0,1 | 6.739 | -14,0 | 1,88 | 2,18 | 15,8 | -2,1 | 19,9 | -1,8 |
| State origin | 3.000 | -3,9 | 5.516 | -15,1 | 1,84 | 2,08 | - | - | - | - |
| Foreign origin | 593 | 27,3 | 1.223 | -8,6 | 2,06 | 2,87 | - | - | - | - |
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 March 21, 2025
Source: Eustat Tourist accommodating establishments survey
86.2% of visitors registered at rural accommodation in the Basque Country in February 2025 were from within Spain, which was an increase of 0.9% in relation to the same month of the previous year. The number of overnight stays by visitors from within Spain fell by 4.1% in year-on-year terms to stand at 9,781, 82.9% of the total number of overnight stays.
The year-on-year increase in visitor numbers reached 16.2% in Álava. In Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa visitor numbers remained practically unchanged, with a variation of 0.1%, negative in the former and positive in the latter. As regards overnight stays, in Álava they were up 39.1%, standing at 2,371. In Bizkaia they rose by 1.0%, reaching 2687, whereas in Gipuzkoa, with 6,739 overnight stays on February 2025, they were down 14.0%.
The average length of stay in this type of establishment in the Basque Country was 1.97 days in February, a figure higher than the average length of stay of 2.09 days observed in the same month of 2024. 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.
The bed occupancy rate showed a year-on-year decrease of 0.3 percentage points, standing at 12.6%. However, the room occupancy rate, following an increase of 0.6 points, stood at 16.5%
As regards tourist apartments, in February 2025 they welcomed a total of 12,866 visitors, resulting in 46,689 overnight stays. Compared to the previous February, the increases were 30.2% in the case of visitor numbers and 18.0% in that of overnight stays.
Each of the accommodation units offered under a business operating unit, managed under the block or combined mode, is referred to as a tourist apartment. Private dwellings offered, marketed or temporarily relinquished for reasons of tourism are not included under the heading of dwellings for tourism use.
Visitors, overnight stays, average length of stay and bed occupancy rates in tourist apartments of the Basque Country. February 2025
| | Visitors | Overnight stays | Average stay | Occupancy rates (%) |
| | | by seats | by apartaments |
| | 02/2025 | m/m-12 (%) | 02/2025 | m/m-12 (%) | 02/2025 | 02/2024 | 02/2025 | p.p. * | 02/2025 | p.p. * |
| BASQUE COUNTRY | 12.866 | 30,2 | 46.689 | 18,0 | 3,63 | 4,00 | 31,3 | 1,1 | 58,6 | 0,1 |
| State origin | 9.524 | 36,4 | 31.555 | 18,4 | 3,31 | 3,82 | - | - | - | - |
| Foreign origin | 3.342 | 15,2 | 15.134 | 17,3 | 4,53 | 4,45 | - | - | - | - |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Araba/Álava | 398 | -27,5 | 7.222 | 2,1 | 18,16 | 12,89 | 25,1 | 1,3 | 70,5 | -1,7 |
| State origin | 365 | -29,1 | 4.643 | -2,4 | 12,73 | 9,25 | - | - | - | - |
| Foreign origin | 33 | -4,4 | 2.579 | 11,5 | 28,00 | 28,00 | - | - | - | - |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Bizkaia | 9.047 | 29,6 | 21.326 | 34,9 | 2,36 | 2,26 | 30,2 | 2,9 | 43,4 | 5,4 |
| State origin | 6.827 | 41,6 | 14.888 | 42,3 | 2,18 | 2,17 | - | - | - | - |
| Foreign origin | 2.220 | 2,8 | 6.438 | 20,5 | 2,90 | 2,47 | - | - | - | - |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Gipuzkoa | 3.422 | 45,3 | 18.142 | 8,8 | 5,30 | 7,08 | 36,5 | -2,2 | 71,5 | -2,1 |
| State origin | 2.333 | 41,4 | 12.025 | 5,2 | 5,16 | 6,93 | - | - | - | - |
| Foreign origin | 1.089 | 54,3 | 6.117 | 16,7 | 5,62 | 7,43 | - | - | - | - |
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 March 21, 2025
Source: Eustat Tourist accommodating establishments survey
Visitors from within Spain accounted for 74.0% of visitors and 67.6% of overnight stays in tourist apartments in the Basque Country, after registering year-on-year increases of 36.4% and 18.4%, respectively.
The average length of stay for this type of establishment was 3.63 days in February 2025, below that obtained in February 2024, which stood at 4.00 days.
At provincial level, the average length of stay in February 2025 was 2.36 days in Bizkaia, 5.30 days in Gipuzkoa and 18.16 days in Álava.
The bed occupancy rate at the Basque Country level reached 31.3%, following an increase of 1.1 percentage points in relation to February 2024. The apartment occupancy rate rose by 0.1 percentage points to stand at 58.6%.
With regard to tourist hostels, in February 2025 visitor numbers and overnight stays totalled 11,302 and 20,221, respectively. In relation to February of the previous year, these totals meant an increase of 39.3% in the case of visitor numbers and 19.1% in that of overnight stays.
Visitors, overnight stays, average length of stay and bed occupancy rates in tourist hostels of the Basque Country. February 2025
| | Visitors | Overnight stays | Average stay | Degree of occupation by places (%) |
| | 02/2025 | m/m-12 (%) | 02/2025 | m/m-12 (%) | 02/2025 | 02/2024 | 02/2025 | p.p. |
| BASQUE COUNTRY | 11.302 | 39,3 | 20.221 | 19,1 | 1,79 | 2,09 | 25,4 | 4,5 |
| State origin | 5.982 | 64,9 | 9.740 | 38,9 | 1,63 | 1,93 | - | - |
| Foreign origin | 5.320 | 18,5 | 10.481 | 5,2 | 1,97 | 2,22 | - | - |
| | | | | | | | | |
| Araba/Álava | 420 | 33,7 | 485 | -8,0 | 1,16 | 1,68 | 11,9 | -1,2 |
| State origin | 420 | 41,6 | 485 | -2,3 | 1,16 | 1,67 | - | - |
| Foreign origin | | | | | | | - | - |
| | | | | | | | | |
| Bizkaia | 6.407 | 34,4 | 12.049 | 7,6 | 1,88 | 2,35 | 31,4 | 5,3 |
| State origin | 3.386 | 52,2 | 5.706 | 24,8 | 1,69 | 2,05 | - | - |
| Foreign origin | 3.021 | 18,8 | 6.343 | -4,2 | 2,10 | 2,60 | - | - |
| | | | | | | | | |
| Gipuzkoa | 4.476 | 47,6 | 7.687 | 46,4 | 1,72 | 1,73 | 20,7 | 5,3 |
| State origin | 2.177 | 97,0 | 3.549 | 82,7 | 1,63 | 1,76 | - | - |
| Foreign origin | 2.299 | 19,3 | 4.137 | 25,0 | 1,80 | 1,72 | - | - |
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 March 21, 2025
Source: Eustat Tourist accommodating establishments survey
The average length of stay in tourist hostels in the Basque Country in February was 1.79 days, as opposed to the 2.09 days observed in February 2024, and the occupancy rate was 25.4%, 4.5 points higher than that registered in the same month of the previous year.
Note:
The response rate of the Survey on Tourist Establishments in February 2025 was 98.5% for Rural Accommodation, 93.1% for Tourist Apartments and 95.0% in the case of Tourist Hostels.
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