Paris — Located high in the Pyrenees, squeezed between France and Spain , Andorra has 92% of its territory covered by preserved nature. With 300 days of sunshine a year, the principality is a holiday destination in all seasons. Mountain trails in the summer; snow sports in the winter; shopping at any time.
Not surprisingly, despite being one of the smallest countries in the world, with only 468 square kilometers, Andorra receives an impressive influx of tourists. Its 87,000 inhabitants coexist with almost 10 million visitors a year. This intense flow, however, reveals a challenge: more than half of the travelers stay only one day in the country—85% of them are French and Spanish.
In an economy where tourism accounts for 50% of GDP , extending stays becomes a priority. Therefore, the principality is undergoing a rebranding process. It wants to attract new tourists, but not just any profile is of interest. Andorra welcomes, preferably, luxury travelers from afar. And, in this movement, Brazil emerges as one of the most strategic markets.
Between 2023 and 2025, the number of Brazilian visitors doubled, reaching 10,700 last year. In the first two months of 2026 alone, they totaled 9,300.
One of the first initiatives to reposition the country as a luxury destination was the creation, in 2022, of Andorra Selected. The program functions as a curatorial seal, a kind of expanded " Michelin guide ". To date, it has around 40 members, in the sectors of hospitality, gastronomy, logistics, leisure and shopping.
Furthermore, the official Michelin guide is present, awarding a star to the Ibaya restaurant, located in the Soldeu ski resort. In addition, five other establishments in Andorra received recognition from the French guide, but without stars.
“Luxury isn’t just a five-star hotel,” says Jordi Haro, director of Selected, in an interview with NeoFeed . “It’s the experience you offer the traveler.” And that ranges from a dinner prepared by renowned chefs to glamping—glamorous camping at 2,300 meters altitude, amidst the mountains; from operas and dance performances to relaxation and beauty sessions in sophisticated spas.
With 300 kilometers of ski slopes, Andorra transforms into the premier snow sports destination in southern Europe during the winter. For comparison, the world's largest ski area, Trois Vallées in the French Alps , boasts 600 kilometers of interconnected slopes.
During the warmer seasons, with its 21 peaks, the principality attracts hikers and mountain bikers. The Vallnord Bike Park La Massana, for example, is one of the great mountain biking destinations in Europe. And there are trails for all levels of difficulty.
Last year, the principality hosted the Andorra Cycling Masters. The tournament featured some of the sport's biggest names, including Dane Jonas Vingaard, Slovenians Tadej Pogačar and Primoz Roglic, and Mexican Isaac Del Toro.
More than just a tournament, the competition was a very well-coordinated marketing campaign. The Masters resulted in a 50-minute documentary sponsored by Red Bull .
Andorra Selected's promotional materials extol the country as a shopper's paradise. There, the value-added tax (VAT) is only 4.5%, in contrast to 20% in France and 21% in Spain. For the type of visitor the principality wants to attract, this probably doesn't make the slightest difference.
The problem might be that Andorra doesn't have its own version of the elegant Passeig de Gràcia in Barcelona and Avenue Montaigne in Paris . In the principality, high-end shopping takes place in multi-brand stores. It's known that very high-income consumers generally prefer to shop in the flagship stores of luxury brands.
Chic predicament
One detail works in Andorra's favor when it comes to attracting ultra-wealthy travelers: the lack of airports and train stations. For Jordi Haro, the relative difficulty in reaching the country preserves the image of exclusivity. A protection against its own growth, to avoid what happened to neighboring Barcelona and Paris, which are experiencing the nightmare of mass tourism.
Even those arriving by private jet (a service offered by Jet Consult, certified by Andorra Selected) can only reach Andorra–La Seu d'Urgell airport on the Spanish side. From there, it's necessary to drive 27 kilometers to the capital, Andorra la Vella.
Players in the high-end tourism industry are eyeing the principality. In December, the Spanish company Serras Collection opened another luxury hotel in the region, Casa Serras — an urban accommodation option that complements the existing Serras Andorra Luxury Boutique Resort & Spa, also located in the Soldeu resort area.
“We receive experienced travelers looking for new experiences, coming from Spain, Europe and, increasingly, from Brazil,” says Ona Matas, co-owner of Serras Collection, in an interview with NeoFeed . “They seek exclusivity without ostentation, they value privacy and personalized service.”
Brazilians already make up the second largest audience at the Serras Collection in Andorra, behind the Spanish and French.
Between mountain trails, ski slopes, and shopping, the principality is trying to prove that it's possible to transform a territory historically associated with transient tourism into a place to stay—a high-class one, it's worth noting. In this movement, the influx of Brazilians helps point the way: more distance traveled and, above all, longer stays.
