Vatican and Airbnb agreement to welcome visitors for 2025 Jubilee

Airbnb and the Dicastery for Evangelization’s ‘Section for Fundamental Questions of Evangelization in the World’, today announced a joint initiative to support the influx of pilgrims coming to Rome for the 2025 Jubilee.

The aim is to enhance the pilgrimage experience, by promoting sustainable stays throughout the city of Rome and the wider metropolitan area. Running from December 24, 2024 to January 6, 2026, the Holy Year will attract approximately 30-35 million pilgrims to the city, providing an opportunity for local communities which don’t normally benefit from tourism to offer good quality hospitality and responsible travel policies.

To mitigate the pressure on Rome's infrastructure and encourage a better flow of visitors, Airbnb has launched multilingual web pages which, in addition to offering a wide range of accommodation options in the Rome metropolitan area, will highlight the rich cultural and spiritual heritage which lies outside the city center.

The platform will showcase high-quality stays in more outlying areas, offering pilgrims and travelers the opportunity to discover some of Rome's hidden corners, while still feeling part of the Jubilee atmosphere. Religious and historical itineraries, and the Jubilee Walks within Rome drawn up by the Dicastery, will all be highlighted on the site …. Everything from the serene beauty of the monasteries of Subiaco to the majesty of the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli in the town of Mentana, the idea being that visitors will also be able to appreciate the spiritual and cultural treasures away from St. Peter's and the Vatican City.

A digital guide to responsible tourism will offer tips for respectful behavior during people’s stay, while an email campaign will target all travelers heading to Rome throughout the year, inviting them to consider alternative destinations in the metropolitan area. By highlighting unique pilgrimage itineraries, local traditions and lesser-known shrines, these initiatives will help distribute the economic benefits of the Holy Year over a wider area, promoting a travel experience in line with the values of the Jubilee: faith, culture and sustainability. Hosts in the wider province of Rome will also be supported with tools and guidelines to improve visitors’ experience, ensuring stays that reflect the warmth and authenticity of traditional Italian hospitality.

Archbishop Rino Fisichella, Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization, commented: "We are grateful to Airbnb for having seized this opportunity to serve the community. I am sure that their commitment will be appreciated by that part of the population which does not live in the historic center but who are, nevertheless, fully involved in the Jubilee celebrations."

Valentina Reino, Head of Institutional Relations for Airbnb Italy, said: "We are deeply honored to collaborate with the Dicastery to facilitate a memorable and sustainable Jubilee for pilgrims, but also for the communities that will host them. This agreement underscores our commitment to responsible hospitality and tourism, ensuring that the spiritual journey of millions of people will also contribute positively to the well-being of the local areas which will host them."