About us

Just like you, at ViA we all are, or have been, hosts in our own homes.

We've all enjoyed unforgettable experiences welcoming guests from all over the world, making new friends and, in some cases, even finding love!

But don't worry… that's not compulsory…

Thanks to this human, sustainable activity, we've proudly represented our cities across Catalonia, because no other type of accommodation gives visitors a closer, more human relationship than sharing the home of a genuine local host.

If you've always been curious but haven't yet become a host, you might like to know that thousands of neighbours across Catalonia, over the last ten years (except for the two sad years the pandemic took from us), have enjoyed sharing their homes with guests and, thanks to that, have earned extra income that has, in some cases, topped up a salary, in others helped pay for their children's education, or allowed them to enjoy a well-deserved holiday.

For many families, sharing their home has also been a way to balance working life with raising children, and for many older people, a way to feel accompanied, active and, above all, useful.

What is ViA

ViA is the Associació de Veïns i Amfitrions de Catalunya (Association of Neighbours and Hosts of Catalonia). We bring together neighbours from Barcelona and the rest of Catalonia who rent out rooms in their usual home, where they are registered and permanently resident. We are an independent association made up of people like you: ordinary people who open the doors of their home and want to do it properly.

Our mission

We want sharing your home to be a recognised, safe and responsible activity, and for those who practise it to be able to do so with information, support and the peace of mind of complying with the regulations. We believe in a small-scale model of hospitality that is close to and respectful of the neighbourhood, and that adds value for host families and the city alike.

What we do

Legal, tax and technical advice for our members, with clear answers to everyday questions.
Up-to-date information: regulations on room rental and tourist accommodation change frequently, and we help you keep track without getting lost.
Ongoing training, with free workshops and informative talks on the sharing economy, cooperativism, taxation, the regulatory situation and legal matters, among other topics.
A voice before the authorities: we take part in dialogue and consultation forums to defend the interests of host families.
Community: assemblies, meetings and celebrations where members share experiences and learn from one another.

Our goals

Bring together host neighbours across Catalonia so they have a common voice and a community behind them.
Inform and train hosts about their rights, their obligations and good practice in the activity.
Foster respectful coexistence between hosts, guests and neighbours.
Represent and defend the interests of the group before the authorities and in participation forums.
Work towards legal recognition of our activity and its protection.

Institutional presence

For years we have championed the home-sharing model wherever decisions are made. In 2015 we spoke before the Parliament of Catalonia's Committee for the Study of the Sharing Economy, and in 2017 we actively took part in the Catalan Government's Interdepartmental Panel for the Study and Regulation of the Sharing Economy. In addition, between 2017 and 2021 we were members of the "Consell de Turisme i Ciutat de Barcelona", Barcelona City Council's consultative and participatory body on tourism, where we worked on its Special Commission on Tourist Accommodation.

What matters to us

Hospitality: welcoming people well is our way of representing our cities.
Responsibility: complying with the law and looking after guests and neighbours alike.
Coexistence: a shared home only works if the neighbourhood benefits too.
Transparency: clear information, no small print.
Community: no one should have to face the paperwork or the doubts alone.

Much more than an association

Along the way we've grown and become more professional, to the point of becoming the leading association in Catalonia and Spain specialising in regulation and good practice for home sharing. But if there's one thing that sets us apart and makes us much more than a simple association offering professional advisory services, it's you, as part of this community of neighbours and hosts with whom we share assemblies, meetings, training sessions and the occasional celebration, enjoying the human support that only a true community can provide.

If you already share your home, or you're thinking about it, here you'll find a place to get your questions answered and meet people who have been through the same thing. Write to us or become a member and start being part of ViA.