Promoting new tourist destinations, helping local commerce and promoting revitalization projects in towns in emptied Spain are the three main objectives of the “Rural Commitment 2026–2029” program that Airbnb announced in November of last year. Now it presents “Get closer”, the communication platform with which the company will convey its commitment to decentralized tourism in our country.
This is the first work of the &Rosàs agency for Airbnb
The campaign has been developed together with &Rosàs, in the agency’s first work for the vacation rental platform, and is an emotional tribute to traditional towns and summers. The company celebrates the rural environment, in which Airbnb is present in more than 5,300 municipalities through its local hosts and its ability to unlock authentic connections between people.
Produced in Canada, the ad, shared for the moment only on LinkedIn by those responsible for Airbnb in Spain and the agency, presents a collage of recognizable scenes that evoke the simplicity of stays in the town. Traditional games, such as frog or petanque; Bathing in the river, excursions, or popular festivals are intertwined with the utterance of fragments of “A Leaf of Grass,” a poem by Walt Whitman.
The company points out that the piece conveys Airbnb’s philosophy regarding a future of tourism that involves a greater connection with destinations and better distribution. “It’s not about going further and further; It’s about starting to get closer. Closer to the towns, to the people who keep them alive, to the stories that do not appear in the guides. In a more authentic way of traveling, more connected with the territory and with everything that happens in it”; said Alexandra Hernández, Airbnb Marketing Manager for Spain, through LinkedIn. “The way we travel can generate opportunities, redistribute the impact of tourism and recognize the role of local communities as the driving force of life for many towns.””.
In this sense, the campaign is a reflection of the commitment that the company began to deploy a year ago focused on “redefine Airbnb’s strategy in Spain, strengthen our commitment to creating positive impact alongside local governments and communities, and turn words into action through a €50 million investment plan to help revitalize rural Spain”, as explained by Ricardo Pabón, Marketing Director for Southern Europe at Airbnb, through LinkedIn.
The campaign is, in this sense, a vindication of the role that the platform can play in the ecosystem. “It is in these towns where the essence of Airbnb, based on human connection and authentic travel, shines brightest. They are also places that preserve an essential part of Spanish identity.”, he added.
The company has focused on the rural environment of our country in recent years as regional governments have increased scrutiny and tightened regulations on tourist accommodation, especially in large cities, and the disaffection of some destinations in our country towards tourism and tourists has grown.
“It is an ode to the capacity that the rural world has to remind us who we are”
The agency shares this approach and points out that the campaign works on the positioning of Airbnb as a facilitator of a more human, authentic and connected way of traveling with the territory. “The campaign is an ode to the towns and the capacity that the rural world has to remind us who we are. A celebration of the people who keep those places alive, their culture, their traditions and the role they continue to play in our present and our future” commented Jordi Luna, Executive Creative Director at &Rosàs.
The piece, according to the brand and the agency, is the first of a narrative ecosystem that will include a series of content that will be shared over the coming weeks and that will shed light on intimate stories that take place in the towns, specifically in accommodations available on Airbnb.
Media planning is carried out by WPP Media.
