High-speed rail and tourism in Spanish low-density areas: not always a solution

Abstract

This chapter empirically examines the impacts of the arrival and consolidation of the high-speed rail (HSR) on the tourism industry of the most depopulated provinces in Spain, by evaluating the increase in the number of visitors, average stays, occupancy rates, and hotel beds. Our results confirm that HSR is not necessarily able to promote the tourism industry in low-density areas as might be expected. In fact, it may have a negative impact if, for example, it is damaging other forms of transportation—other gateways through which tourists arrive—or if it is draining economic activity and transferring it to more dynamic and larger nodes of the network. Among the province capitals examined, only Segovia, characterized by being located at a short distance and travel time from Madrid, has experienced some success. However, receiving HSR services does not seem to be the solution to these low-populated and less dynamic regions.