Number of visitors to Basque Country fell 2 percent in July 2008

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Rural tourism: The number of visitors was up by 17 percent and overnight stays were down by –2 percent.

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There were 212,546 visitors registered in the hotel establishments of the Basque Country in July 2008, 5,000 down on the same month of the previous year, in other words a 2 percent decrease, according to Eustat data.

The number of visitors decreased by 1 percent in Gipuzkoa and 4 percent in Bizkaia, but rose by 1 percent in Alava, compared to the same month of 2007.

The number of visitors from within Spain fell by 2 percent with respect to July 2007. The number was down in Bizkaia (-1 percent) and in Gipuzkoa (-3 percent), while it remained unchanged in Alava (0 percent). The number of overseas visitors increased in Alava by 3 percent and in Gipuzkoa by 2 percent, while it fell by 8 percent in Bizkaia.

The main increase was in the number of visitors from Madrid, Andalusia, Castilla-Leon, Aragon and Galicia. There was a decrease of the number of visitors from Catalonia, Valencia and Asturias, among others. As regards the number of overseas visitors, there was a fall in the number from Germany, Denmark, Holland and Italy and a decrease in those from Belgium, the United Kingdom, Latin America and France, among others.

Registered overnight stays in July 2008 came to 407,306, which was 5 percent down on July 2007, in other words, there were 20,000 fewer overnight stays. The year-on-year performance of overnight stays was negative in the three territories: they fell by 4 percent in Bizkaia, by 7 percent in Gipuzkoa and 1 percent in Alava.

Throughout the A.C of the Basque Country, the average length of stay was down 2 percentage points, from 1.96 days in July of the previous year to 1.92 days this past July. It increased in Bizkaia by 1 percent, but was down by 6 percent in Gipuzkoa and by 1 percent in Alava.

The occupancy rate by bed fell by 7 percent, and dropped from 57.00 percent in July of last year to 53.10 percent this July. The occupancy rate by room fell by 5 percent. Both occupancy rates decreased in the three provinces to different degrees.

Rural tourism: The number of visitors was up by 17 percent and overnight stays were down by –2 percent.

There were 13,958 visitors registered in July in rural tourism establishments in the Basque Country; 17 percent more than the same month of last year, increasing by 37 percent in Alava, 14 percent in Bizkaia and 15 percent in Gipuzkoa.

The increase in the number of visitors from the rest of Spain was 13 percent in the Basque Country: it was up by 31 percent in Alava, 12 percent in Gipuzkoa and down by 8 percent in Bizkaia. The number of overseas visitors dropped by 37 percent throughout the Basque Country, with the number falling in Alava (116 percent), Bizkaia (37 percent) and Gipuzkoa (30 percent).

Overnight stays in rural tourism establishments of the Basque Country totaled 42,338 in July, which was down by 2 percent compared to the same month of previous year. The year-on-year growth rate was positive in Alava (21 percent) and negative in Gipuzkoa (-5 percent) and in Bizkaia (-4 percent).

The average length of stay per visitor in the Basque Country overall increased with respect to July 2007, rising from 3.64 days a year ago to 3.03 days this past July.

The occupancy rate by beds fell by 2 percent and the occupancy rate by room fell by 11 percent in the Basque Country, due to the negative impact of Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa.