Airbnb invests $50 million in Spanish villages: a bet on rural tourism

Photo: Airbnb

Airbnb is changing its strategy amid tighter regulations in Spain’s major cities. The short-term rental platform will allocate $50 million to develop rural tourism. The Compromiso rural program is designed for three years. Airbnb expects growing demand for this type of travel, with the segment becoming a full-fledged part of the tourism market.

“A window of opportunity”

According to Airbnb, rural travel in Spain remains far less developed than in other major European countries. In terms of overnight stays, such destinations lag sevenfold behind France, threefold behind the UK and twice behind Italy. The platform already features 5,300 Spanish villages, and around 70% of Spanish residents use Airbnb to travel beyond major cities. At the same time, more than 1,800 municipalities are on the verge of depopulation. The program is aimed at attracting additional visitor flow to these areas.

The initiative also seeks to reduce seasonality: it is expected to ensure stable demand throughout the year, not only during peak months. Airbnb calls this “a unique window of opportunity” to diversify tourism and support the economy of “Spain that is losing population.”

Funding structure and the solar eclipse

The program consists of two parts. Acción rural (support for rural territories) provides $38 million for housing renovation, local business development and projects to preserve architectural heritage. Applications will be open: residents and entrepreneurs will be able to propose initiatives — from new tourist accommodation to local services and experiences.

Promoción rural (promotion of rural destinations) includes $12 million for marketing and demand stimulation. These funds are intended for campaigns inside Spain and abroad to reduce seasonality and build stable interest in rural travel.

Under the program, Airbnb plans to establish partnerships with the Pueblos Mágicos de España association and other organizations that promote destinations and develop rural areas, cultural and natural heritage. A separate focus is on astrotourism — cooperation with Fundación Starlight is planned. It is noted that interest in regions where the 2026 solar eclipse will be visible has already grown by 830%.

The director of Airbnb Marketing Services SL for Spain and Portugal, Jaime Rodríguez de Santiago, said that decentralization creates a chance for regions that have not benefited from visitor flows for decades. The plan is designed for long-term transformation and involves ongoing work with local authorities and communities.

Government campaign

The Spanish government is also pursuing a strategy of redistributing visitor flows. In June 2025, the state tourism agency Turespaña launched an international campaign “Think You Know Spain? Think Again”, focused on small towns and rural areas. The video materials designed for an international audience feature locations from 12 autonomous communities, including Galicia, Asturias, Andalusia and the Basque Country.

The goal of the campaign is to ease pressure on overcrowded coastal destinations. In 2024, Spain received 94 million foreign visitors. At the same time, according to inAtlas, domestic tourism in the 25 largest coastal areas fell by 800,000 trips. Many Spaniards are shifting away from the seaside to lesser-known destinations, while some are giving up summer holidays altogether. Over the past year, the number of domestic trips to inland regions increased by 1.7 million, and demand in several small towns rose by more than 20%.

The key factor is rising prices: the average hotel night rate has increased by 23% over the past three years, reaching €136, while beachfront rentals have become more than 20% more expensive. The price surge has fuelled protests against foreign visitors, as it is widely linked to mass tourism.