The president of the Tourism Board of Spain, Carlos Garrido, has warned that the current crisis in the rail system is putting Spain’s reputation as a safe tourist destination at risk and has called for a global security and infrastructure investment plan that will make it possible to restore travelers’ confidence and safeguard the sector’s competitiveness.
In statements to Europa Press, Garrido admitted that the country’s tourism image has been “evidently compromised” following the Urda (Toledo) rail accident, with a “very negative” impact on the international perception of Spain.
Against this backdrop, he defended the need for a “major joint effort” between public administrations and companies in the sector to rebuild citizens’ and tourists’ confidence.
The president of the Tourism Board highlighted that the fact that 15 of the fatalities of the incident were of nationalities other than Spanish shows to what extent high-speed rail had become consolidated as the usual means of transport among foreign visitors to connect different cities in the country.
Although he noted that it is still too early to measure with precision the impact of the accident on tourism demand, he warned that long-distance markets, particularly those in Asia, North America and Latin America, could be the ones that feel the consequences most strongly.
As he explained, these tourists usually plan longer stays and multi-stage itineraries within Spain, so that a loss of confidence in high-speed rail could directly influence their travel decisions.
To have a more accurate assessment, Garrido told Europa Press that it will be necessary to wait until the annual contracting of the main tourism operators is known.
An eventual closure of Madrid-Barcelona, a “critical” scenario
Meanwhile, Garrido described as “critical” for tourism and for the economies of Madrid and Barcelona a possible prolonged interruption of the high-speed line that connects the two cities in order to carry out comprehensive renovation works.
In his view, a suspension of the service would have an immediate effect on business tourism and the MICE segment (meetings, incentives, conferences and events), as well as on the activity of hotels, restaurants, shops, taxis and other services linked to travelers’ trips.
Along this line, he has recalled that the rail connection between Madrid and Barcelona adds up to more than 60 daily services across all operators and moves 14.4 million passengers per year, approximately one third of the total users of high-speed rail in Spain.
It is, he has emphasized, a key corridor for business travelers, the demand for which, he has warned, could not be absorbed by air transport in the event that the rail service were canceled.
Garrido has underlined that one of the elements that has helped to consolidate Spain’s image as a tourist destination has precisely been its communications network, which guaranteed mobility between the main urban centers and, in his view, now remains called into question.
Calls for a State pact to strengthen security and infrastructure
The president of the Tourism Board has insisted that Spain’s competitiveness as a destination is at stake, in a sector that generates 135,000 million euros in revenue, and he has argued that regaining trust will require time and a firm response.
Specifically, he has asked to design and implement a comprehensive security and investment plan for essential infrastructure that will help to rebuild Spain’s image as a safe country, with a quality tourism offer.
"Putting safety first at all times, it is essential to carry out the renewal of the high-speed system so that it can once again be the model admired from which we felt proud," he said in statements to Europa Press.
Likewise, he has advocated for reaching a State pact that places tourism at the center of governance, with stronger coordination and planning among the different administrations and the private sector.
In this context, he has considered it key to strengthen air and road transport alternatives to ensure mobility throughout the territory when rail disruptions make it necessary.
Garrido has reiterated that the response to the crisis must be addressed with a joint vision, both to manage the immediate consequences of the accident and to anticipate and mitigate the effects of possible future interruptions in strategic rail corridors, such as those in Andalusia and Catalonia.