Granada is stepping up efforts to revive its tourism sector after a disappointing year, with local authorities now working to secure four new flight routes to boost visitor numbers – including London.
The move comes as the province continues to struggle with limited transport links, ongoing rail disruptions and a lack of international flights.
At present, travellers flying into Granada from abroad have few direct options, with only routes from Amsterdam, Paris (seasonal) and Nantes available.
Most international visitors are forced to connect via Madrid or Barcelona.
It comes after data from Spain’s National Statistics Institute (INE) showed a decline in foreign visitors in 2025 – a rare setback not seen since the 2009 financial crisis, excluding the pandemic years.
While the overall drop in hotel stays was relatively small, the trend is concerning, marking the third consecutive year of falling international tourism.
The decline is more pronounced in other accommodation types. Tourist apartments saw 17,000 fewer visitors compared to 2024, while campsites also recorded a drop.
Granada city itself has been hit hardest, losing more than 20,000 international visitors in a single year.
Poor connectivity is widely seen as a key factor.
Now, the provincial government is trying to reverse that trend. Plans are underway to introduce new routes from Federico Garcia Lorca Granada-Jaen Airport to London and Warsaw, alongside domestic connections to Bilbao and Valencia.
The proposed London route would restore a previously operated service to Gatwick, which ended in 2024 after airline restructuring.
Warsaw would mark a new link to Poland, adding to Granada’s limited international network.
On the domestic front, officials are keen to retain the Bilbao route, which was recently dropped but may return later this year, and to establish a new connection with Valencia.
If successful, Granada would expand its national network to 10 destinations.
To support the plan, the Provincial Tourism Board has approved more than €427,000 in funding aimed at improving air connectivity and promoting the destination.
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