In Portugal, the Portuguese hotel industry reported problems with reservations, check-ins and basic services for several hours, especially in coastal areas which, at this time of year, receive increasing numbers of visitors from all over Europe.
The cause of the blackout is still unknown due to the lack of response from the national government, although some technical reports point to the lack of capacity and poor foresight and management of the current government in Spain. The technicians point to an imbalance between the production of renewable energies and the capacity of the electricity system to assume this production, causing a chain reaction that destabilised the electricity supply in the Iberian Peninsula. The Spanish and Portuguese authorities have opened investigations to clarify the exact causes and to avoid a repetition of such an incident.
The impact on the tourism industry has not been long in coming. According to preliminary estimates by the main sectoral associations, losses could exceed 1.000 million euros in just one day. Hoteliers are reporting last-minute cancellations, mainly due to the impossibility of guaranteeing service to customers during critical hours. Restaurants, cafés and tourist shops also suffered significant losses, both due to the lack of customers and the disruption of electronic payment systems, which are now essential. In the case of the economy as a whole, losses of 2 tenths of GDP are expected.
Museums and tourist attractions, such as the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, the Prado Museum in Madrid or the Alhambra in Granada, were forced to close their doors or limit their capacity. Visitors already inside had to be evacuated in an orderly manner in some cases, while new entries were suspended for the rest of the day. This has led to great frustration among tourists, many of whom had specific visits scheduled and will not be able to reschedule easily.
Tour operators have also seen disruptions to their services. Excursions, guided tours and transfers have been rescheduled or cancelled, mainly affecting travellers on organised routes, who depend on strict logistical coordination. Several travel agencies have had to handle complaints from affected customers, while emergency protocols were activated to offer alternatives where possible.
Many entrepreneurs fear that the image of insecurity generated by this blackout will affect the confidence of visitors in the reliability of basic services, in an international context where competition between destinations is increasingly intense.
The Great Blackout of 28 April will go down as one of the most serious incidents in recent decades in terms of electricity disruption in Spain and Portugal. Beyond the immediate recovery of supply, the challenge now is to restore normality in strategic sectors such as tourism, a fundamental pillar of the economy of both countries. The next few weeks will be crucial to gauge the true extent of the consequences and to fully re-establish the confidence of visitors in the strength and reliability of the Iberian tourist offer.
