The Exceltur report, from an association comprising leading companies in the tourism sector, reveals that hotel profitability in Córdoba was severely impacted in the first two months of the year. This decline is primarily attributed to the interruption of the High-Speed Rail (AVE) service in Andalusia, which was inoperative between January 19 and February 16, and the effects of severe storms.
While other Andalusian cities like Málaga and Sevilla managed to better withstand the adverse situation, Córdoba recorded an average monthly profitability of 38.6 euros per available room, compared to 42.9 euros in the same period in 2025. This 10% decrease places it as the second Spanish city with the largest drop in this indicator.
The impact of the High-Speed service interruption in Andalusia was felt in the revenues of accommodations in destinations highly dependent on the train, such as Córdoba and to a lesser extent Granada; not so in cities with airports and greater dynamism from foreign tourism, such as Sevilla and Málaga.
Córdoba's reliance on domestic tourism and the absence of an airport with the same capacity as those in Málaga and Sevilla exacerbated the situation. Overnight stays by Spanish visitors in Cordoban hotels fell by 22.7%, from 153,422 to 118,594. Although foreign overnight stays increased by 3.7%, they were insufficient to offset the loss, resulting in an overall 13.4% drop in total overnight stays.
In contrast, Málaga and Sevilla, with a higher influx of foreign tourism and more robust airports, saw their total overnight stays grow by 8.7% and 2.1% respectively. Even Granada, which also experienced a 2.5% drop in domestic overnight stays, achieved an overall increase of 1.6% thanks to a 6.4% rise in foreign tourism.
