AEMET and Cantabria Collaborate on Tourism Meteorology: What Changes for the Sector

Key data

Tourism operators in Cantabria have had access since 25 March 2026 to a new channel for official meteorological and snow data from AEMET. The agreement published in the BOE (reference BOE-A-2026-6956) formalises the collaboration between the Agencia Estatal de Meteorología and the Sociedad Regional Cántabra de Promoción Turística, with the aim of improving tourism planning and promotion in the region.

This is not a regulatory obligation or a new administrative burden. It is an agreement that creates a concrete opportunity: access to information that until now required independent management or less reliable sources.

What does this regulation establish?

The agreement creates a formal collaboration framework between AEMET and the Sociedad Regional Cántabra de Promoción Turística for the exchange of two types of information:

• Meteorological information: updated climate data relevant to tourism activity in Cantabria.
• Nivological information: data on snow conditions, aimed especially at ski resorts and mountain tourism.

The stated objective is twofold: to improve tourism planning and to strengthen visitor safety and experience. The Sociedad Regional Cántabra de Promoción Turística acts as an intermediary between AEMET and the private sector, channelling information to operators.

Economic and operational impact

This agreement does not generate direct costs for businesses in the Cantabrian tourism sector. Its impact is operational and competitive in nature: those who know how to leverage access to official AEMET data will be able to make better business decisions.

The specific implications for business operations are:

• Season planning: access to climate forecasts that allow the offering, staffing and resources to be adjusted further in advance.
• Client communication: the ability to report on snow or weather conditions using official data, increasing credibility and reducing cancellations due to uncertainty.
• Risk management: anticipating adverse conditions to adapt nature tourism activities and minimise incidents.
• Marketing differentiation: using official AEMET data as a quality and safety argument in tourism promotion.

For ski resorts and mountain tourism operators, access to updated nivological information has direct value: snow conditions are the primary purchase decision factor for their clients.

Who is affected?

The agreement has a direct impact on the tourism sector in Cantabria. The most benefited profiles are:

• Ski resorts located in Cantabria: access to official nivological data to communicate slope conditions.
• Nature tourism operators: hiking, mountain routes, outdoor activities that depend on weather conditions.
• Hotels and rural accommodation that orient their offering towards seasonal or nature tourism.
• Travel agencies and tour operators specialising in Cantabria.
• Sociedad Regional Cántabra de Promoción Turística as the managing entity of the agreement and point of access to information.

It does not directly affect tourism businesses outside Cantabria or sectors not linked to tourism.

Practical example

A ski resort in Cantabria regularly receives enquiries from clients about slope conditions before confirming their booking. Until now, communicating conditions depended on their own measurements or unofficial sources.

With the agreement in force, the Sociedad Regional Cántabra de Promoción Turística can provide the resort with official nivological data from AEMET in a structured and updated manner. The resort can publish the snow status on its website and sales channels with official backing, which reduces client uncertainty and can translate into a lower cancellation rate and higher conversion of enquiries into confirmed bookings.

The same scheme applies to a hiking route operator who needs to decide in advance whether a route is viable or should be rescheduled: accessing official AEMET meteorological forecasts allows them to communicate changes with greater lead time and professionalism.

What should businesses do now?

1. Contact the Sociedad Regional Cántabra de Promoción Turística to find out the specific mechanisms for accessing the meteorological and nivological data derived from the agreement.
2. Identify which data is most relevant to your business: if you operate in snow tourism, prioritise nivological information; if you manage nature activities, focus on seasonal weather forecasts.
3. Integrate the data into your operational planning: adjust activity schedules, client communications and booking strategy based on available forecasts.
4. Update client communication channels to include official meteorological information as a quality and transparency argument.
5. Periodically review the available information through the channel set up by the Sociedad Regional Cántabra de Promoción Turística, especially during peak demand seasons.

Official source

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, please consult a qualified professional. Source: https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2026-6956