Wednesday, 23 October 2024, 17:35

Airlines are predicting a record winter season as tourists change their travel plans from the Middle East to Spain due to widespread conflict in the region.

The Spanish association of airlines (ALA) forecasts that the supply of airline seats on offer from November to March will exceed 137 million, almost 12% more than last year. Some regions stand out, such as the Canary Islands and Andalucía, with increases of nearly 14%, benefiting from tourists who are changing their travel plans to avoid the conflict in the Middle East.

In summer – April to September – 177 million passengers were recorded, almost 9% more than a year ago, which could result in a record year after traffic records were already broken in 2023 with 283 million passengers registered, according to ALA data.

The president of the association, Javier Gándara, was cautious about external factors that could affect the good progress of air traffic, such as the current unstable geopolitical situation. Although it may benefit Spain in terms of a higher volume of tourists, it is causing fuel prices to rise and is impacting the economic situation of many European households.

The current rail saga in Spain, with serious incidents on the train network affecting more than 14,000 passengers last weekend, may be another factor that will boost flights within Spain, although Gándara said it will not be to a large extent. The “tourism phobia” experienced in some parts of Spain this summer is also not considered to be affecting air passenger figures either, as Gándara said that behind it is a housing problem rather than a rejection of tourism. “The root problem is not tourism, in the Canary Islands and other destinations they know that many jobs depend on tourism,” he pointed out.

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