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There were 191,903 visitors registered in the hotel establishments of the Basque Country in September 2009, 4,400 up on the same month of the previous year, in other words a 2% increase, according to Eustat data. This growth was based on Gipuzkoa, where the number of visitors increased by 8%, while it fell by 1% in both Álava and Bizkaia compared to the figures for September in the previous year.

The number of visitors from within Spain was up by 3%, while the number of overseas visitors increased by 1% compared to the same month of the previous year. Visitors from within Spain increased in number by 8% in Gipuzkoa, 1% in Bizkaia, but fell by 4% in Álava. However, the number of overseas visitors increased in by 8% in Gipuzkoa and 7% in Álava, while it fell by 6% in Bizkaia.

The greatest increase of Spanish visitors was mainly among those from Catalonia, Comunidad Valenciana, Cantabria, Castilla-La Mancha and Navarra and there was a notable drop in the number coming from the Madrid Autonomous Community, Asturias and Castilla y León. As far as foreign visitors were concerned, there was mainly an increase in the number from the USA-Canada, Central and South American, France, the United Kingdom and Belgium, while the number from Germany, Italy and Portugal decreased.

Registered overnight stays in September 2009 totalled 359,725, which was 1% up on the same month of the previous year, in other words, there were 2,600 more overnight stays. The year-on-year performance of overnight stays was positive in Gipuzkoa, where they were up by 7%, while they fell by 4% in Álava and Bizkaia.

The duration of the average stay fell from 1.90 days in September last year to 1.87 this year for the Basque Country as a whole. It was down by 3% in Álava and in Bizkaia and remained unchanged in Gipuzkoa. Thus, the average stay in Álava in September 2009 was 1.68 days, 1.77 days in Bizkaia, while it stood at 2.05 days in Gipuzkoa.

The occupancy rate by bed was down by 3%, falling from 49.47% last September to 48.08% this August, for the Basque Country as a whole. It fell by 16% in Álava to a 45.6% occupancy rate, Bizkaia was down by 7% to an occupancy rate of 43.13% and the rate in Gipuzkoa increased by 7% and had the highest occupancy rate by bed at 58.11%. The occupancy rate by rooms also fell (5%) for the Basque Country as a whole.

The number of visitors in the Basque Country increased by 2%, 11,500 more visitors, during the summer months of July August and September, with respect to the same period of 2008. It rose in the three provinces: It increased by 3% in Álava and Gipuzkoa, and by 1% in Bizkaia. The number of overnight stays also rose by 3% over that same period. It increased by 5% in Álava and Gipuzkoa, and by 1% in Bizkaia. The average stay was up by 1% to an average of 2 days, and the degree of occupancy was 54.39% over these three months, 2% down on the same period of the previous year.

Rural tourism

The number of visitors in rural tourism establishments of the Basque Country totalled 10,122 in September, which was down by 5% with respect to the same month of the previous year. However, the performance of the three provinces was not uniform. The number of visitors fell by 23% in Álava and by 3% in Bizkaia, but increased by 1% in Gipuzkoa. Both visitors from within Spain and from abroad fell in number, with decreases of 2% and 23%, respectively, registered for the Autonomous Community as a whole. The number of visitors from within Spain fell by 21% and those from abroad by 47% in Álava. The Spanish visitors were up by 1% in Bizkaia, but the number of overseas visitors fell by 17%, and the number from within Spain also increase by 4% in Gipuzkoa, but overseas visitors fell by 22%.

There were 26,973 overnight stays in rural tourism establishments in the Basque Country in September, 3,000 fewer than in the same month of the previous year (-10%), with year-on-year negative growth being recorded in Álava (-27%) and Gipuzkoa (-2%), but positive in Bizkaia (+2%).

The average length of stay by visitor in the Basque Country overall decreased with respect to September 2008, falling from 2.81 days a year ago to 2.66 days this September. The average stay increased in Bizkaia and fell in Álava and Gipuzkoa.

The occupancy rate by bed was 24.27%, which was down 16% on the same period of the previous year. This drop was seen in the three provinces, with decreases of 34% being recorded in Alava, 16% in Gipuzkoa and 5% in Bizkaia. The occupancy rate by rooms also fell by 20% in the Basque Country as a whole.

There was the same number of visitors in rural tourism establishments in the three months of July, August and September 2009 as for the same period of the previous year. The number of overnight stays fell by 2%, and only increased in Bizkaia, as the number decreases in both Álava and Gipuzkoa.