1. Service sector
Basque Country

2. Introduction
Nowadays this is the most important
sector
During the last decades this sector
occupes about half the active
population or even more.

4. Introduction
The reasons for the development of this
sector are:
Industrial crisis: many workers passed from
the industry to the services
Entrance in the EU: they needed to
accommodate to the EU’s policy
Autonomic process: public sector has
developed a lot.

5. Transports
Communications are not easy due to
the relief
Huge inversions have been required
There are the link between the
Peninsula and Europe
Road transport has substituted
the railway.

6. Transports : Routes
The modern net is developing
constantly
The main roads are:
Bilbao-Behobia motorway
N-1 Madrid-Irun, it is the spine of the
transports.

8. Transports : Railway
There are two kinds:
Wide width: the one linking with the Meseta
Narrow width: it has fulfilled the needs of the
industry
The direct link between the Basque capitals is
scarce
The capitals will be linked with the High
Speed Train, the project known as the
Basque Y.

10. Transports : Sea transports
It is essential for commercial relations
with foreign countries
The main ports are Bilbao, Pasajes and
Bayona
Bermeo’s port is important as a fishing
one.

11. Transports: Air transports
There are five airports: Loiu, Foronda,
Biarritz, Hondarribia and Noain
Loiu is the most important
The main problems are relief and
weather conditions.

12. Tourism
It has not been too important in the economy
in general
Weather has influenced beach tourism
The most important places are:
San Sebastian
Biarritz
Nowadays the Basque Autonomous
community is the second one in Biscay’s Gulf
considering the number of tourist and the
number of nights they spend in the region.

13. Tourism
The hotels’ offer tends to concentrate in
capitals
This tourism is normally linked to two
activities:
Business and commercial relations
Free time:
Landscape
Art
Culture
Gastronomy

14. Tourism
The most traditional places are:
Coast of Lapurdi (Biarritz was the
precursor)
Guipuzcoan coast (tourists of medium-high
level)
Biscay’s coast (Basque people tend to visit
these places).

15. Tourism
Rural tourism is developing:
Attractive:
Natural environment
Art and culture accessible
Rural houses are cheaper than hotels
Many “baserris” are being adapted.

16. Tourism
Navarre:
Santiago’s Route is the main line:
monuments dating back to the Middle Ages
Rural tourism houses have developed a lot
during the last years.

17. Tourism
In the Basque Autonomous Community
the following factors have influenced:
Green tourism is attractive for those
looking for a not too warm climate but in
contact with nature
Progressive introduction of Basque
products in all the programmes of different
business.

18. Tourism
One of the aims is to recover professional tourism,
at once with the economic development
Increase of foreign and Spanish tourists’ number
Publicity campaigns launched in different media to
promote our region (Pais Vasco, ven y cuéntalo)
One problem for tourism was the lack of political
stability, quite forgotten nowadays.

19. Tourism
New possibilities of tourism (summary):
Rural tourism: peasants and livestocks’ owners
offer touristy services
Ecotourism: it takes advantage of the attractive of
natural landscapes, natural parks and protected
areas
Congress and fairs: with new infrastructures
(Euskalduna, Kursaal)
Cultural: Guggenheim museum is the token of this
kind of tourism.

20. Tourism
Segments that have increased:
Business and congress
Rural tourism
Coastal tourism
Origin of tourists:
Catalonia and Madrid
Aragon and limiting communities
Foreigners (Guggenheim effect)

21. Commerce
Commercial structure has not evolved
too much
Modern forms are reserved to new
regions
The most developed big commercial
centres the bigger crisis for retail
commerce.

23. Commerce
Finances backed industries and thanks
to this:
Big private banks: BBV
Public saving banks: Kutxa
Services for business.