Gipuzkoa has recorded its best August for tourism in history, with 183,575 entries in hotel establishments. This figure represents a 4.4% increase compared to August 2025, which was also a record-breaking month. However, this trend has not been uniform across San Sebastián, as the capital city experienced a slight decrease of 0.7%, with 101,942 entries.
Data published by Eustat confirms that these records are primarily driven by the growing influx of foreign visitors. In August, Gipuzkoa welcomed 118,336 international tourists, an 11.7% increase from last year. San Sebastián also saw a similar trend, with 78,737 foreign entries, up 7.6% from the same month last year.
In contrast, the number of visitors from other parts of Spain has significantly declined in both Gipuzkoa (down 6.7% to 65,239 entries) and San Sebastián (a sharp 21.5% decrease, with 23,205 entries). Consequently, foreign tourists accounted for nearly two-thirds of visitors in Gipuzkoa in August (64%), a percentage that was even higher in San Sebastián, reaching 77%.
The rising cost of accommodation has played a significant role in this shift. San Sebastián is the most expensive city in the Basque Country, with an average nightly rate of nearly 278 euros, 40 euros more than last year. Over the past decade, prices have surged by 63%. Across Gipuzkoa as a whole, the average rate in August stood at 220 euros.
For the entire Basque Country, hotel entries increased by 5.7% year-on-year in August, with an average stay of 2.15 days. The occupancy rate was 78.4% based on places and 86.7% based on rooms.
