Government attacked over marina policy

The Balearics is in danger of losing its international influence in the nautical sector unless the local government agrees to co-operate with the nautical industry and allow more moorings to be built. President of the Balearic Association of Marinas, Bartolomé Bestard, called on the local government to ease up in its marina policies yesterday. At the moment, the 20.000 public and private moorings in the Balearics are completely full, he said, adding that there is a waiting list of thousands of boats. Bestard revealed yesterday that some 18'000 boats were unable to find a mooring in the Balearics last month. That's quite simply because no new marinas have been built over the past ten years and now the government has introduced a marina building freeze. Bestard warned that yachts, many of which carry the local government's “quality tourists” are obviously being forced to go elsewhere to find moorings. On the mainland, Valencia, Cataluña and Andalucía are investing heavily in marinas. So too are Croatia and Turkey, which are enjoying a nautical boom. Bestard also pointed out that the lack of moorings is not only making life difficult for visiting yachts, but also for residents trying to find a mooring. He said that the government completely contradicts itself when on the one hand it says it wants quality tourists, but on the other, just as it has with golf courses, has frozen marina developments. “These sorts of visitors spend an average of 180 euros per day,” Bestard said. “We are not pushing for massive developments, but for solutions, such as dry docks and marina expansion plans at peak season,” he said.