Spain Tourism Board and United Airlines: $200,000 to Promote Spain in the U.S. with Newark-Bilbao Route

Key data

The new direct air route between Newark/New York and Bilbao is the trigger for a public-private alliance that mobilizes 200,000 dollars in joint advertising investment between Spain's Tourism Institute (Spain Tourism Board) and United Airlines. The agreement, published in the Official Gazette on July 25, 2026, came into force on July 2, 2026 and has a duration of one year from its registration in the state electronic registry.

For the tourism sector in the Basque Country and Spain in general, this initiative represents a boost in direct visibility in the U.S. market, one of the world's highest-spending tourist source markets. It is not a regulation that imposes obligations: it is an opportunity worth knowing and taking advantage of.

What does this agreement establish?

The agreement formalizes collaboration between Spain's Tourism Board and United Airlines to develop joint marketing campaigns aimed at the U.S. market, with the objective of promoting Spanish tourist destinations, especially those linked to the new Newark/New York–Bilbao route.

The key elements of the agreement are:

• Total budget: 200,000 USD, contributed equally (100,000 USD each party).
• Main spending destination: online paid media (digital advertising in the U.S. market).
• Additional allocation: up to 20,000 USD additional for own media actions, also equally shared.
• Budget allocation: Spain's Tourism Board will charge its contribution to the 2026 fiscal year budget.
• Governance: a Joint Monitoring Commission will be established with monthly meetings to oversee the media plan and resolve discrepancies.
• Validity: one year from the registration of the agreement in the state electronic registry of agreements.

This is not a regulation that modifies previous legislation or imposes obligations on the private sector. It is a public-private collaboration agreement that channels public investment in international tourism promotion.

Economic and operational impact

The direct impact of this agreement translates into greater visibility of Spain in the U.S. market, especially the Bilbao destination and the Basque Country, thanks to jointly financed digital advertising campaigns. This generates a spillover effect on tourism demand that can benefit the entire value chain of the sector.

For the Basque and Spanish tourism business sector, the opening of a direct route from New York with institutional advertising support is equivalent to a high-value tourist acquisition campaign at no direct cost to sector companies. The American tourist has a significantly higher average spending per trip than the European, which amplifies the potential economic return.

Who does it affect?

• Hotels and tourist accommodations in the Basque Country and northern Spain, which will receive direct flow of American tourists.
• Travel agencies and tour operators operating in the American market or designing products for U.S. tourists.
• Restaurants, shops and tourist experience companies in Bilbao and surroundings, benefited by increased visitors.
• Airlines and ground handling operators at Bilbao Airport.
• Tourism boards and public entities at regional and municipal level in the Basque Country, which can align with Spain Tourism Board campaigns.
• Digital marketing companies and advertising agencies working with tourism sector clients and able to leverage the context of increased advertising investment in the American market.

Practical example

A boutique hotel in Bilbao with 40 rooms that until now depended mainly on European tourists can benefit from this agreement in the following way:

Digital advertising campaigns financed with the 200,000 USD jointly from Spain's Tourism Board and United Airlines will impact U.S. users searching for destinations in Spain. Part of that generated demand will land directly in Bilbao thanks to United Airlines' new Newark–Bilbao route. The hotel pays nothing for this visibility: the advertising investment is assumed by Spain's Tourism Board (100,000 USD) and United Airlines (100,000 USD).

If the hotel wants to maximize return, it can align its own digital strategy (English-language website, presence on American platforms, rates in USD) with the agreement's validity period—one year from its registration—to capture the demand generated by institutional campaigns.

What should companies do now?

1. Identify if your business is in the area of influence of the Newark–Bilbao route: hotels, restaurants, experiences and tourism services in the Basque Country are the first beneficiaries.
2. Adapt your digital presence to the U.S. market: English-language website, profiles on platforms used by American tourists (TripAdvisor, Google, Booking in English) and rates in USD.
3. Contact Spain's Tourism Board or the Basque Country Tourism Board to learn if there are collaboration or co-marketing channels aligned with the agreement's campaigns.
4. Review your pricing and availability strategy for the American segment, which typically travels in different seasons than Europeans and books further in advance.
5. Follow the activity of the Joint Monitoring Commission: monthly meetings may generate communications or additional actions relevant to the sector during the agreement's validity year.

Official source

View complete regulation in official source

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, consult a qualified professional. Source: https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2026-16230