The giant of holiday rentals has selected the Sevillian region of Bajo Guadalquivir as one of the two pioneering areas of its Rural Commitment programme, endowed with €43 million.
Airbnb has set its sights on Bajo Guadalquivir. The American company has chosen this Sevillian region, alongside the Water Triangle in Aragón, as a pilot destination for its Rural Commitment programme, an initiative endowed with $50 million (around €43 million) to boost tourism in depopulated areas of Spain.
The announcement, made this Thursday, represents a significant boost for a region that seeks to distinguish itself from the capital's tourism and attract visitors who stay overnight and spend in its towns. According to company sources, Bajo Guadalquivir was chosen for its potential to develop a sustainable tourism model that highlights its cultural and natural heritage.
The Rural Commitment programme was presented in November 2025 with a three-year horizon. Its aim is to channel tourist interest towards the more than 1,800 Spanish municipalities at risk of depopulation. In the case of Bajo Guadalquivir, the entity responsible for leading the project is the Association for Local Development of the Bajo Guadalquivir Region, Adelquivir.
Adelquivir proposes a strategy based on the historical paths that cross the area: the Camino de Santiago, the Vía Augusta, and the livestock routes. From these, a network of experiences and accommodations around local products such as oil, wine, and flamenco is intended to be created, so that visitors not only spend the day but also stay overnight.
The Bajo Guadalquivir region, which includes municipalities such as Dos Hermanas, Utrera, Los Palacios and Villafranca, El Cuervo de Sevilla, and Los Molares, suffers from a significant tourism imbalance compared to the capital of Seville. While Seville city concentrates the majority of supply and demand, the rest of the region barely retains travellers.
Airbnb has highlighted that nearly 70% of Spaniards use its platform to travel to non-urban or low-density destinations, demonstrating the growing interest in rural tourism. The company believes that Bajo Guadalquivir meets the conditions to become a benchmark for this type of tourism.
The programme aims not only to attract visitors but also to generate a direct economic impact on local communities. Among the planned actions are the rehabilitation of vacant homes for tourist rental, revitalisation of local businesses, and enhancement of cultural and natural heritage.
The choice of Bajo Guadalquivir comes after an open call in May 2025, to which more than 30 applications from across rural Spain were submitted. Ultimately, Adelquivir's project was one of the two selected, alongside that of the Water Triangle in the Calatayud region (Aragón).
For the residents of Bajo Guadalquivir, this initiative could signify a change in direction. The region has seen its population age and young people emigrate to the capital or other cities in search of opportunities. Now, tourism presents itself as a way to retain population and generate employment.
From Adelquivir, they have expressed their satisfaction with the selection and are confident that the project will have a catalytic effect. In the coming months, specific actions will be defined, which will include the creation of new tourist routes, the rehabilitation of properties, and training for local entrepreneurs.
Airbnb, for its part, has noted that Bajo Guadalquivir is an example of how well-managed tourism can contribute to the economic revitalisation of rural areas. The company anticipates that the programme will serve as a model for future investments in other regions of Spain.
The announcement comes at a time when rural tourism is gaining traction in Spain. According to sector data, more and more travellers are seeking authentic experiences away from major tourist hubs. Bajo Guadalquivir, with its rich agricultural and cultural tradition, aspires to position itself as a reference destination.
The coming weeks will be crucial to learn the details of the plan. The first actions are expected to begin before the end of the year, with an eye on the 2027 tourist season.
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