Andalucía spearheads in London first measures to mitigate the impact of Madrid-Andalucía high-speed rail suspension

Following his press conference and the inaugural tour of the Andalusian exhibitors' stands, Gavira took the lead and brought together the heads of the tourism boards attending the fair to begin assessing measures to improve connectivity and reduce the consequences of the lack of a high-speed rail link.

"The meeting has provided a first-hand insight into the difficulties each region is facing in the wake of the rail accident and has enabled us to make progress on a joint strategy to improve connectivity and sustain tourism activity during the final months of the year," Gavira said. "Faced with an exceptional situation, Andalucía is responding swiftly, in a coordinated manner and with concrete measures."

Among the key measures, tourism experts have pointed to the expansion of air links. Airlines such as Ryanair, Volotea and Wizzair have already announced that they will launch new routes connecting the airports of Malaga and Seville with the Spanish capital. Iberia and Air Europa previously operated these routes, which were primarily targeting passengers in transit to transatlantic flights.

The regional minister revealed that the regional government had already been in contact with airlines to request the expansion of services on certain routes and to explore collaborative initiatives. He also announced that discussions are taking place with road transport companies, including the Alsa bus company, to explore alternatives that will strengthen bus services and, as far as possible, mitigate the travel difficulties arising from the rail situation.

"We are working to offer real alternatives to passengers. We want to strengthen both air and bus connections so that Andalucía remains an accessible and competitive destination," Gavira said.

Another measure under consideration is the launch of a campaign to promote domestic tourism, so that Andalusians can get to know their region better, with the aim of encouraging travel between the eight provinces. "We want to encourage Andalusians to continue travelling around Andalucía, discover other destinations in our region and help sustain the business of our tourism companies," the regional minister said.

Gavira stressed the importance of collaboration between public authorities and industry representatives in tackling the consequences of the rail crisis. He believes this marks the start of a joint initiative with the provincial authority to develop initiatives focused on promotion, connectivity and institutional collaboration.

"We cannot stand idly by in the face of a situation that affects one of Andalucía's main economic drivers. We are listening to the sector, coordinating with the institutions and planning measures to minimise the impact of this crisis on our tourism sector," he stated.

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