The homes will be allocated to tourism workers such as waiters, cooks, receptionists, ski instructors and other professionals linked to the sector. Applicants will be able to apply for the homes in October, with the aim of moving in at the beginning of 2027.
THE HOUSING PROBLEM IS WORSENING WITH TOURISM
During the inauguration, Aragón President Jorge Azcón highlighted that housing has become one of the limitations facing tourism businesses when it comes to hiring and retaining workers. “We can attract visitors, open hotels or fill restaurants, but if the people who work in those establishments cannot find housing they can afford, we will have a problem,” he said.
The president stressed that the Más Vivienda, Mejor Turismo program seeks to address a residential need and an economic and territorial challenge at the same time: “Looking after tourism workers means looking after the tourism industry. In certain municipalities, it is the industry that we rely on to ensure there is still life and a bulwark against depopulation.”
As Villanúa Mayor Luis Terrén explained, the town council decided three years ago to purchase the building, which was half-built, despite its “limited resources,” to offer it for rent because of the problems the town faces in housing tourism workers.
The Villanúa development involved an investment of more than €3.1 million, of which €2.4 million came from the Aragón Government, while the remaining €700,000 came from European recovery funds. In this regard, the Spanish Government’s subdelegate in Zaragoza, Noelia Herrero, highlighted institutional cooperation to “provide solutions to complex problems.”
468 HOMES IN 44 MUNICIPALITIES
Villanúa’s 23 homes are only the first step in a program that will continue to expand across the region. This development will be followed by another 445 homes in 43 more municipalities across Aragón, strengthening the supply of housing for professionals working in areas with significant tourism activity.
Azcón announced that the next projects include the completion of 28 more homes before the end of the year in Broto (9), Boltaña (15) and Fayón (4). Later, during the first quarter of 2027, work is expected to be completed on the homes planned in Beceite (6) and Gúdar (4), while the developments in Jaca (18) and Aínsa (22) are scheduled for completion around the middle of 2027.
