At Nekatur, it’s crystal clear: our greatest asset is the people who own and run our rural accommodations. These are people – hosts – who know exactly what they’re doing because they’ve been doing it for many years. Hosts who love their work because they love their way of life – a traditional way of life that defends the rural world, its customs and its heritage.

When you stay in one of our agritourism properties, country houses or rural apartments, you too become part of a way of life rooted in the Basque countryside.

From farms and livestock holdings to rural tourism accommodation

The first agritourism property in Euskadi opened in 1990, following a programme launched three years earlier by the Basque Government and the Provincial Councils of Araba, Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa. This programme allowed owners of agricultural and livestock farms to offer accommodation services.

This came as a response to the growing difficulties many farms were facing due to socio-economic changes. These changes threatened their viability, leading to closures and, with them, the loss of historical, cultural, and social heritage.

This wasn’t a problem exclusive to Euskadi – other rural regions across Europe had already experienced it, and their governments found a solution in a new form of tourism. A sustainable tourism, respectful of nature, that gave value to the historic legacy of baserris (traditional Basque farmhouses) and the people who had dedicated their lives to working the land.

Nekatur was founded in 1991 as an association. Our mission then, as now, was clear: to defend the interests of our members, ensuring that our rural accommodations comply with all relevant regulations, are more sustainable, better adapted, and that you can travel with peace of mind and confidence.

Nekatur: Professionalising our hosts

Over the past 35 years, we’ve put people at the heart of what we do.

On the one hand, the people who own and run the rural lodgings that form part of our network. These are the people who will host you in our agritourism properties , rural houses and countryside apartments.

That’s why we work with them to ensure full compliance with all agricultural and tourism legislation. No grey areas, no shortcuts – everything by the book.

That’s also why we provide them with training in areas such as tourist service, food hygiene, and digital tools – to make everything easier and more efficient for both you and them, and to ensure your stay is completely within the bounds of legality.

We also know that, whatever the circumstances, our hosts are ready to respond with professionalism and high standards – and with the warmth and passion of those who truly love what they do.

Because our hosts are our greatest strength: individuals who balance their daily work in agriculture or livestock farming with a commitment to rural tourism – a tourism developed with sustainability and respect for the local environment at its core.

Our hosts are people who love our culture, our history, and our language. They are the best people to guide you on what to do and what to discover during your visit. They’re prepared – so ask them, listen to them, and enjoy.

At Nekatur, we also place you – our visitor – at the centre of everything we do. Because everything we’ve described is done so that, when you come to visit us, you can enjoy genuine Basque hospitality.

Book your next holiday with us. We are Nekatur, the only association of owners of agritourism properties, rural houses, and countryside apartments in Euskadi.