The Government of Asturias has successfully sold all 13,333 vouchers from its rural tourism programme, generating over 2.2 million euros in sales. This initiative, aimed at boosting tourism outside peak periods, involves 392 accommodations and has stimulated purchases across 61 municipalities.
Vice President Gimena Llamedo met today at Laboral Ciudad de la Cultura in Gijón/Xixón with representatives from some of the accommodations that benefited most from this initiative, located in municipalities such as Llanes, Sobrescobio, Valdés, Soto del Barco, Ribadedeva, Cangas de Onís, Caso, Somiedo, and Villaviciosa. The meeting provided insight into the sector's assessment of the programme.
“The rural tourism vouchers have proven to be a useful tool to support our accommodations, generate economic activity, and encourage the discovery of Asturias throughout the year. We have sold all available vouchers. This positive reception translates into income for businesses and opportunities for local communities,” Llamedo stated.
The economic balance indicates direct revenue exceeding 2.2 million euros for participating accommodations, with a ripple effect benefiting local restaurants, shops, and other businesses. The geographical distribution of sales highlights the programme's reach, with Llanes, Cangas de Onís, Villaviciosa, Valdés, and Sobrescobio accounting for 42% of total demand.
Additionally, rural municipalities such as Cangas del Narcea, Santa Eulalia de Oscos, Teverga, Caso, Cabrales, Somiedo, Boal, and Taramundi also ranked among the top performers. These results demonstrate the vouchers' capacity to support both established destinations and smaller rural municipalities.
In terms of demand, Asturias accounted for the highest number of vouchers purchased, approximately 30%, followed by Madrid with 18%. The provinces of Vizcaya and La Coruña purchased 6% and 5% of the vouchers, respectively. These figures underscore the appeal of Asturias' rural offerings to foreign visitors.
This year's edition began with 9,333 vouchers, which sold out before the announced expansion in September. Due to the successful response, the Government of Asturias added another 4,000 vouchers, with an additional allocation of 300,000 euros, bringing the total public investment to one million euros. Each voucher is valued at 150 euros, co-financed equally by the Principality and the purchaser, who contributes 75 euros.
The initiative is part of the Government of Asturias' strategy to develop a less seasonal tourism model, distributing activity throughout the year and ensuring that its benefits reach more areas. Rural tourism is experiencing a robust recovery this year, leading results among northern regions. From January to September, 289,435 people utilised these establishments, a 15.44% increase compared to the same period last year. Meanwhile, overnight stays reached 913,827, marking a 14% rise, according to the latest data from the National Institute of Statistics (INE).
