Hotels across Andalucía have started seeing cancellations and growing concern from Asian tourists after the conflict involving Iran disrupted key flight routes through the Middle East.
According to the Andalusian Federation of Hotels and Tourist Accommodation, travellers from Asia are beginning to cancel trips or contact hotels to ask whether it is still possible to reach southern Spain.
The issue stems from difficulties making flight connections through major Middle Eastern hubs such as Istanbul and airports in the Gulf, which many long-haul travellers rely on when travelling to Spain.
Juan Zapata, president of the hotel federation, said the number of cancellations is rising, although the exact scale is still difficult to measure.
Hoteliers say they have received a noticeable increase in calls and enquiries from tourists worried about whether they will be able to travel to Andalucía in the coming weeks.
The uncertainty is expected to hit major urban destinations such as Sevilla and Malaga the hardest, as these cities act as key entry points for international visitors.
Tourism businesses fear that instability in the Middle East could make long-haul travellers reconsider their plans.
However, Zapata stressed that Asian tourism still represents a relatively small share of Andalucía’s overall visitor numbers.
Domestic tourism from within Spain remains the backbone of the region’s hotel sector, which may cushion the impact of any drop in visitors from distant markets.
In fact, the uncertainty abroad could even lead to more Spaniards choosing to holiday closer to home.
Hotels believe some domestic travellers may decide to stay within Andalucia during busy periods such as Easter rather than travel abroad.
Despite the concerns about international tourism, Zapata said the most urgent issue currently facing the sector is transport within Spain.
In particular, hotel operators are worried about rail connectivity problems affecting Malaga ahead of the busy Semana Santa holiday period.
While rail services in the Sevilla area and nearby provinces such as Cadiz and Huelva are gradually returning to normal following the Adamuz train accident, Malaga is still facing serious disruptions.
These issues could affect thousands of travellers planning to visit the Costa del Sol during one of the busiest tourism periods of the year.
Semana Santa traditionally brings a major surge in both domestic tourists and travellers from across Andalucia.
Hotel representatives warn that if rail problems are not resolved before Easter, it could disrupt visitor flows and harm businesses during a key holiday period.
The Andalusian Federation of Hotels is therefore urging authorities to restore full rail connectivity to Málaga as soon as possible to protect the region’s tourism economy.
Read more Andalucia news at the Spanish Eye.
