25|01|2012

HomeAway is to pilot its new hub for Southern Europe from Madrid

The United States company HomeAway specialises in holiday property rentals and has opened its new offices in Madrid to pilot the development of its business in Spain, Italy and Portugal.

According to the company, the choice of Spain as the nerve centre for its operations in Southern Europe has had to do "largely" with "the country’s huge specific importance as a force in tourism", together with the fact that it is the world’s third-largest market in terms of its customers' demand, beaten only by the United States and France.

According to the company's figures, this step will help consolidate HomeAway's growth in the European sub-region, and it is therefore a "necessary phase" for the Iberian and Italian markets, which in 2011 recorded a 30% increase in the number of queries in comparison with the previous year.

Through the Spanish portal, tourists can access more than 285,000 advertisements offering accommodation available to rent in 144 countries across the world, 26,600 of which are Spanish homes.

In the first phase, the company will start its operations in Spain with around 30 staff, although the Spanish section is expected to grow over the coming months.