Best business ideas in Spain

1. Hotel

However exploited the sector may be, there are still dozens, if not hundreds, of places and concepts not covered. An example is the rural world in the interior of the country, which in recent years has begun to grow timidly but still far from the figures that are handled in coastal areas, and yet we find places with lots of charm, history and unparalleled cuisine as Asturias, Teruel, Huesca, Leon … Places where it is rare to meet foreign tourists, and I am sure that this is not due to lack of attraction, but to the lack of promotion and the fact that these places remain unknown abroad. That is why I dare to say that a rural hotel with few beds, so that a couple can manage it without the need to employ outside staff, is a business with chances of success. Especially taking into account the lack of competition and the low cost to start it; and here comes the most important thing: it is very easy to find large properties for sale at a very low price (to rehabilitate, of course) in these areas that I mention due to the depopulation and lack of investment they suffer.

On the other hand, when I talk about uncovered concepts I mean that perhaps more than 95% of the tourism in Spain stays in hotels with more than 20 beds, there are hardly any Boutique Hotel or charming hotels, and almost all the supply consists of large hotels, so a small hotel with a management that offers a closer treatment to its guests or other forms of accommodation that offer different experiences from those already known would have a niche in this market.

2. American breakfasts

Let’s face it: everything that is fashionable in the United States ends up arriving in Spain; coffee to go on paper cups, cookies, gender reveal parties… It is not uncommon to see restaurants that imitate the decor of diners, and burger joints pop up in every neighborhood, but the authentic American breakfast and brunch are conspicuous by their absence. There are hardly any places that offer French toasts, chicken waffles, monkey bread… Why? There is no explanation. American gastronomy is rather poor, true, but since the hamburger, the milkshake, and some ways of cooking ribs, decades have passed without seeing any new import.

3. Real Estate

I am referring purely and simply to investing in real estate. Prices are still at record highs, and there will be those who say that this is a bubble that is about to burst, but there is no sign that this is going to happen. Madrid and the coastal cities are growing at a frenetic pace, there is not enough supply, both for rent and for sale, to satisfy the demand for housing. Many young people from the rest of Europe have taken advantage of remote work to live in Spain, and this is set to increase in the coming years as the baby boom generations begin to retire en masse and decide to live out their retirement on the shores of the Mediterranean.

4. Agricultural asset protection.

This idea is perhaps the most difficult to implement given the high operational costs involved in providing a service such as agricultural security, but I am sure it would be in great demand. Agriculture, especially in Andalusia and the Spanish Levante, is the livelihood of thousands of families; Spain produces coveted fruits such as olives and oranges, and each year faces millions of dollars in losses due to theft by organized gangs. The Valencian region alone reported losses of 25 million euros due to theft in 2023. State security forces do not rest, but it is not enough, and there are not enough private companies today to cover this need. A company specializing in this type of security that also uses cutting-edge technology such as drones and thermal cameras has a good chance of success.

5. Staffing agency.

I know this may seem strange, but you have to take into account two things: one is that employment in Spain leaves much to be desired and the other is that education, especially university education, is of a very high level, so in Spain we have thousands of young and not so young people with a very good education willing to leave the country in exchange for a job that allows them to live with dignity. Therefore, if you come from a country where labor is scarce, here you have the opportunity to find it. You would need to start by doing most of the work in the country where you plan to offer these staffing services, but here in Spain you will find quality potential employees without the need to advertise a lot to make yourself known.

6. Non-english academy

There are many English academies, many British and Americans who come and decide to teach English to earn some money. And it’s great, because we still need to improve our English in Spain, but the competition is fierce, and not only are foreigners teaching English classes but now we have native Spaniards who after a few years abroad have returned with perfect English and have also decided to teach it. And something else is happening: English is no longer enough to stand out in the job market. That is why if I were Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, German or Japanese, I would seriously consider the option of teaching my language as a way of making a living; I am sure that I would find clients and I would not have much competition.