Tourism losses on the Costa del Sol due to the suspension of the AVE amount to 109 million euros.

Since January 18, the day of the worst high-speed train accident with 47 fatalities, the Costa del Sol has been cut off by rail from Madrid, which is having a significant impact on the province's main industry: tourism. The suspension of the High-Speed Rail network has directly caused losses of 109 million euros in the Malaga tourism sector, according to a report by the public promotion company Turismo Costa del Sol, which also warns that the impact on the overall economy is even greater as tourism activity affects up to 24 productive branches.

The study estimates that between January 19 and March 1, 65,848 tourists will fail to arrive at the Costa del Sol and notes that "the lack of railway connections following the Adamuz accident and the subsequent landslide in Álora, still without a reopening date, will particularly affect the national market, the main source to the province during the winter months." Hence, the president of Turismo Costa del Sol and the Malaga Provincial Council, Francisco Salado, is calling on the government to activate extraordinary aid to mitigate the losses faced by the province.

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It is worth remembering that last year more than 14.6 million travelers chose this destination, of which 5.5 million came from different parts of the national geography, with the Community of Madrid being the second largest market, after Andalusia itself. It should be emphasized that tourism generated an average of 152,162 jobs in 2025 and had an impact on the Malaga economy of more than 21.800 million euros. "Situations like this demonstrate the importance of having reliable and competitive transport infrastructures, because accessibility influences both the activity of our companies and the image of the destination," he points out.

The report, based on official mobility data and usual traveler behavior, details that the high-speed connection between Madrid and Málaga is one of the main entry points for the national market to the province, which has been directly affected. It notes that the AVE concentrates a good part of the displacements, especially on short trips and weekend getaways, making this infrastructure a fundamental element for tourist activity. And it specifies that, according to the analysis, between January 19 and March 1, more than 140,599 people would have normally used the train to travel to the Costa del Sol. A figure that is refined, after applying different factors such as the partial transfer to other means of transport, trips made using alternative combinations, or residents in the province, to finally conclude that almost 66,000 tourists will not make the trip.

Salado requests extraordinary aid to mitigate tourism losses

Considering that the direct spending these visitors would have made amounts to 71.8 million euros and adding the indirect and induced effects on the overall tourism economy, the total impact of losses in the sector is estimated at 109 million euros.

In light of this situation, Salado warns that "connectivity is key for a tourist destination to be competitive, especially in the national market, where the speed and comfort of travel directly influence the decision to travel." He also considers that Málaga has an important technological and business ecosystem and thousands of professionals who frequently travel for work reasons or who combine teleworking with temporary stays in the province, which is now being conditioned. Therefore, he calls on the Spanish Government to activate extraordinary aid and emphasizes that the economic impact resulting from the closure of the AVE goes beyond tourism. "We are not only talking about hotels, restaurants, or leisure companies, but about the whole economy," he explains.

The last deadline communicated by Renfe for the recovery of the AVE Málaga-Madrid is the upcoming March 1, although before this date, the days of last February 2 and subsequently February 8 had also been marked on the calendar, without it being possible, for now, to meet the opening expectations of the AVE. Meanwhile, the Costa del Sol is practically disconnected from the center of Spain. High ticket prices, with rates more expensive than those that now allow you to travel to Istanbul or Doha, and the scarcity of seats have made the plane not an alternative to the lack of the AVE.

Salado demands a plan to reverse a situation that "impacts the development of the province"

After highlighting the fundamental role that mobility plays, the president of Turismo Costa del Sol and the Malaga Provincial Council, Francisco Salado, demands from the central government "a plan to reverse this situation that negatively influences the development of one of the most thriving and fastest-growing areas in the country." It should be noted that the Andalusian hotel employers' association had already warned that the suspension of the AVE was causing a loss of 30% of annual bookings and the Malaga tourism sector as a whole had already expressed its concern because this situation had caused a halt in bookings for Easter, the first holidays of the year, which this year begin the last weekend of March and have a strong national pull. The sector raises its voice for fear that this suspension of the AVE will have further consequences in future travel bookings. For all these reasons, Francisco Salado considers it "a priority to restore normality in the rail connection as soon as possible to prevent the impact from extending over time," although he warns that the tourism sector of the province maintains its strength and recovery capacity. Also, he specifies that "this analysis aims to provide a clear estimate of the impact that the interruption of the AVE is having and to highlight the key role that mobility plays, especially in the national market."