- Tourism experts in Cordoba have urged authorities to promote short-haul travel from other Andalusian provinces
- The call aims to offset the expected drop in visitors caused by interruption of AVE services
- Local travellers accounted for more than half of November and December visitors last year
- Restaurant cancellations are nearing 25pc
- Accommodation cancellations are reaching up to 55pc
Tourism experts in Cordoba have urged authorities to promote short-haul travel from other Andalusian provinces to offset the expected drop in visitors caused by the interruption of high-speed AVE services. The suspension of the high-speed rail network following the October 2026 train collision near Urda has severely impacted tourism in Cordoba.
Cordoba’s hospitality and tourism sectors have reported restaurant cancellations nearing 25pc and accommodation cancellations reaching up to 55pc. Local leaders and tourism representatives are pressing authorities to reorient marketing toward short-haul, intra-Andalusian travel, encouraging visitors from neighbouring provinces to fill the gap left by missing long-distance rail passengers from Madrid and central Spain.
The mayor of Cordoba, José María Bellido, requested an emergency direct daily flight link to Madrid, while regional travel agencies have warned that consecutive rail accidents have damaged traveller confidence. Conventional medium-distance and regional train routes and regional bus services continue to operate within Andalusia, though long-haul high-speed connections to Madrid remain heavily restricted.
