Ana María, host in Seville: “We’ve learned to live together without prejudice”

“People always say that travelling opens one’s mind. We’ve realized that welcoming travellers to our home has the same effect. We have learned to live together without prejudice“, Ana María explains from her home in the Sevillian neighbourhood of Heliopolis.

Ana Maria and her family have been hosting travellers since 2012. Her daughter, Sara, was nine years old then, and over the past six years she has been able to live and talk with people of dozens of nationalities. “My English has improved a lot, too. My teacher has praised my accent“, she says laughing. “It’s been very natural for me. With our first guest, I went to eat pizza!”

Ana María points out that hosting travellers has not only been a financial help: “It’s also helped us a lot as a family“.

Her husband, Manolo, agrees: “We are a family, and we want our guests to feel just like one more member. We like going out to eat with them and going on excursions in the area“.

“We benefit the neighbourhoods, and the families benefit as well. Home sharing is truly sustainable tourism”.

“Our neighbourhood, Heliopolis, is not touristy, but it is historic. And we want travellers to discover it: we recommend shops, bars, restaurants…”, says Ana María.

“We benefit the neighbourhoods, and the families benefit as well. Home sharing is truly sustainable tourism“.