Sevilla’s mayor has warned of a sharp tourism downturn following the Toledo train disaster.

Jose Luis Sanz said Friday that hotel occupancy forecasts for the All Saints’ Day holiday weekend have fallen from 90% to 50%.

He said the disruption to the Madrid rail connection threatened serious economic consequences for the city, with bookings over the coming months also at risk.

The warning comes ahead of major events including the Sevilla Film Festival, the SICAB international horse fair and Christmas celebrations.

Sanz described SICAB as the city’s third-biggest event for revenue, behind the Feria de Abril and Semana Santa.

The mayor also said he no longer felt safe travelling by AVE and had been using other transport to reach Madrid.

‘I don’t feel safe. Now I fly to Madrid, and the last time I went by car,’ he said.

The Sevilla and Province Hotel Association has separately reported cancellations and booking changes ahead of the holiday weekend.

Its own earlier forecast was for average occupancy of 84% across the three holiday nights. The association now considers that projection uncertain, with cancelled corporate meetings and institutional events potentially adding to the losses.

Hoteliers said a prolonged interruption to the Madrid connection could have consequences well beyond the immediate holiday period.

They expressed concern that disruption could last until December.

According to the association, the route normally carries around 10,000 passengers a day across 47 trains.

Between 4,750 and 6,000 passengers arrive in Sevilla from Madrid, with an estimated 60% to 70% staying overnight.

Although some travellers may switch to flights or road transport, hoteliers believe the city will inevitably lose visitors.

The association also warned that declining confidence in high-speed rail could affect future demand, and called for coordination between authorities and transport operators to provide safe alternatives.

Read more Andalucia news at the Spanish Eye.