Ascarioja presents REDTUR at Fitur 2026

Ascarioja, the Association of Rural Houses of La Rioja, has joined forces with ARCA Asturias, the Rural Tourism Association of Cantabria, ARARCYL (Castilla y León), Turismo Verde de Huesca, Turalcat (Catalonia), and NEKATUR (Euskadi) to establish the Spanish Rural Tourism Network (REDTUR), a national platform that brings together rural tourism associations from various autonomous communities with the aim of defending the interests of the sector and projecting a unified voice before public administrations.

The presentation of REDTUR took place at Fitur 2026, at the Turespaña stand, bringing together representatives from all these associations, reaffirming interregional collaboration and commitment to the development of rural tourism in Spain. Ascarioja was represented at the event by its president, José Joaquín Sanz, and counted on the presence of the Minister of Industry and Tourism of Spain, Jordi Hereu, and Ana Muñoz, Director General of Tourism Policies at the Secretary of State for Tourism.

REDTUR was created with a clear mission: to coordinate communication and promotion of rural tourism under a common voice, defending regulation, professionalization, and sustainability in the sector. The platform also seeks to address structural challenges in rural areas, such as population decline, access to housing, the pressure of unregulated tourism models, and the need for stable national-level dialogue.

The REDTUR decalogue establishes the fundamental principles for rural tourism based on “people, territory, and future,” including population retention, heritage and landscape protection, regulated and professional tourism, environmental sustainability, territorial equity, and cooperative governance. According to Sanz, “without living villages there is no rural tourism, and without rural tourism, many villages would have no future.”

For Ascarioja, being part of REDTUR represents a strategic opportunity to enhance La Rioja’s visibility as a quality rural destination, encourage visitor arrivals, and support the economic and social development of municipalities. The initiative reinforces our commitment to promoting rural houses not only as accommodation but as a driver of local employment, territorial cohesion, and the preservation of traditions and culture.

The presentation of REDTUR at Fitur 2026 marks an important step in consolidating a united and professional rural tourism sector, capable of projecting the values of Spanish rural areas and ensuring a sustainable future for the villages and communities that inhabit them.