Visitors number to Basque Country fell by 4 percent in May 2008

amplify image

A rural tourism establishment. Photo: EFE

There were 183,410 visitors registered in the hotel establishments of the A.C. of the Basque Country in May 2008; more than 8,000 fewer visitors than in the same month of last year resulting in a 4 percent decrease, according to Eustat data.

The number of visitors increased by 2 percent in Bizkaia, but fell by 12 percent in Gipuzkoa and 2 percent in Alava, compared with the same month of 2007.
With respect to May 2007, the number of visitors from within the state fell by 7 percent and the number of overseas visitors grew by 1 percent. In the three provinces, visitors from within the state rose by 1 percent in Bizkaia, while they fell by 16 percent in Gipuzkoa and 4 percent in Alava. Overseas visitors increased by 3 percent in Alava and Bizkaia, but decreased by 2 percent in Gipuzkoa.

There was an increase in the number of visitors from Asturias, Castilla y Leon, La Rioja and Murcia. The greatest decrease was among the visitors from Catalonia and Madrid. As far as overseas visitors were concerned, there was an increase in the number of visitors from France, Portugal and Italy, while the number from The Netherlands, United Kingdom and USA-Canada were down.

Registered overnight stays in May 2008 came to 337,866, which was a 29 percent decline from May 2008, that is, 6,000 fewer overnight stays The year-on-year evolution of overnight stays was positive in Bizkaia, up by 4 percent, but decreased by 4 percent in Alava and by 7 percent in Gipuzkoa.

Throughout the A.C of the Basque Country, the average length of stay was down 2 percentage point, from 1.80 days in May of the previous year to 1.84 days this past May. It decreased by 2 percent in Alava, was up by 2 percent in Bizkaia and 6 percent in Gipuzkoa. The occupancy rate by bed was up by 1 percent, and went from 46.76 percent in May of last year to 47.00 percent this May. The occupancy rate by room remained practically unchanged. Both occupancy rates increased in Bizkaia and decreased in Alava and in Gipuzkoa.

Rural tourism: The number of visitors and overnight stays rose by 7 percent and 33 percent respectively

There were 8,431 visitors registered in May in rural tourism establishments in the A. C. of the Basque Country; 7 percent more than the same month of last year, increasing by 21 percent in Alava, 8 percent in Bizkaia and 1 percent in Gipuzkoa. There was a 9 percent increase in visitors from within the state to A.C of the Basque Country, rising by 14 percent in Alava, 10 percent in Bizkaia and 6 percent in Gipuzkoa. The number of overseas visitors dropped by 11 percent throughout the A.C of the Basque Country, increasing in Alava (141 percent), but not in Bizkaia where it fell 10 percent and Gipuzkoa where it was down by 33 percent.

There were 25,713 overnight stays in rural tourism establishments in the A.C of the Basque Country in May, which was 33 percent compared to the same month of the previous year, with year-on-year positive growth being recorded in the three provinces: Alava (46 percent), Gipuzkoa (30 percent) and Bizkaia (28 percent).

The average length of stay per visitor increased with respect to May 2007, going from 2.45 days a year ago to 3.05 days this past May. The occupancy rate by place increased by 31 percent in the A.C. of the Basque Country as a whole, due to the positive impact of the three territories. The occupancy rate per room improved by 18 percent, due to the increase registered in the three provinces.