Tourists triple the population of Xàbia this summer
Data from water consumption, garbage collection and occupation estimate the number of visitors to have been 58,853 .
From Las Provincias - Los Turistas consiguen... September 16th 2008
The population of Xàbia reached a peak of during the first half of August, with 58,853 tourists staying in the municipality. This figure, if added to the 32,411 residents gives a total of more than 90,000 people staying overnight in August.
This was announced yesterday by the Councillor for Tourism, Jose Chulvi, who has for the first time used the FET, Fórmula de Estimación Turística (Formula to estimate tourist numbers). This is a tool to make a rough estimates of tourist occupation through equations, applying variables such as water consumption, tons of rubbish collected each day and other parameters. This is the first time that Xàbia has made such an estimate of Tourist occupation, explained Chulvi.
In addition, he revealed that his department is conducting surveys among tourists, to learn their concerns and demands when they visit the town. The aim, he explained, is to plan a tourist promotion for Xàbia, using as much information as possible to be able to satisfy the demands of tourists "more rigorously" in the future said Chulvi.
These surveys, which were conducted at strategic points of tourist accommodation and through street handouts will be processed in November, in what will be the first part of the study of the sector. The second part will take place next Easter because at that time there is a different type of tourism consisting mostly of Spanish families, which have different demands as compared to summer holiday makers.
But with data already in hand, Jose Chulvi reported that the tourist occupancy in July and August was 83.5% on average. In July, with 35,120 tourists, there was a decline of 3% as compared to 2007. In contrast the month of August showed an increase of 3.7% over the previous year with an average of 44,845 tourists. The data had its peak over the long weekend holiday of the Virgen de Augusto, when the town was full at 100%.
In July, hotels recorded a 77.61% occupancy of the 1,017 places available; two campsites recorded a 66.53% occupancy, while renting of regulated apartments was 85% (9,080 places available ).
But in August, the average occupancy recorded in these establishments was 96.39%. In hotels, occupation was maintained at around 90%, while the campsites were filled more in the first half (92.50%), than in the second (82.27%) and the apartments were also more full at the beginning August (98%).
Moreover, the three tourist offices of Xàbia worked at full capacity. In July 6295 groups of visitors (approximately 15,737 persons), dropped by to ask for 9495 consultations, most of these (64%) were of international origin. In August, there were 7,399 groups of visitors at the tourist offices (about 18,497 people), of which 43% were of national origin, compared to 57% foreigners.
With regard to national tourism, residents of the Comunidad Valenciana are at the top of those who come to Xàbia (35%); followed by people from Madrid (30%), the Basque Country and Andalusia (3 % ) and Castilla La Mancha (2%).
According to the Head of Tourism, the information asked for was often general local information as well as specific questions about coves and beaches, cultural activities, festivals and outdoor activities such as trips and hiking trails in searching for the natural riches of Xàbia .
Tourism is not only income…
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