The PP has two initiatives to strengthen nautical tourism and cruising in the Balearics

The parliamentary group today approved the Tourism Commission proposals to the Balearic Parliament to encourage and strengthen tourism and cruise ship sailing in the Balearics.

So on the one hand, the popular MP Martí Biel has defended the text, which called for the Balearic Islands Port Authority to enter into agreements with shipping companies to boost cruise activity at the ports of general interest of our islands, especially in Palma de Mallorca.

For his part, Rep. Lourdes Bosch has exposed the contents of the second initiative, which calls for the central government to the National Tourism Plan incorporating the nautical tourism product and that the State meets the special tax on certain Transportation to the requirements given by the EU to exempt the payment of tax on vessels engaged in the rental activity.

During the speech, Marti recalled that "in 2011 there was new record in cruise passenger traffic, with the arrival of more than eight million passengers, a figure that has placed Spain in a leadership position, as the second country of embarkation of these travelers in Europe, behind Italy. " Meanwhile, Balearic Islands, with over 1.6 million passengers, "has located in fourth position in Europe and twefth of the world."

Despite these good numbers, receive fewer tourists arrived by sea. The port of Palma de Mallorca, for instance, will lose this season around 10,000 passengers every week, "which inevitably cause damage to all sectors, directly or indirectly, living from tourism, such as transport, restaurants, shops, etc.. And considering the cruise tourism as a source of important business in the Balearics. Last year alone, the spend of cruise passengers reached 85 million euros. "

NAUTICAL TOURISM

Meanwhile, the parliamentary member GPP Lourdes Bosch emphasized the need to strengthen and promote other tourism offerings beyond the "sun and beach", among which is the nautical sector. This is a sector with a high consumption of services, and high capacity to create employment, "because of their special characteristics and distribution of spending, have an effect on the economy very remarkable."

Bosch has relied on crew costs, repairs, shipping, taxes, docking or port consumption, amongst others.

"Unfortunately, due in part to the tax treatment of these yachts support in our country, of the 767 yachts during the summer based in the Mediterranean, only 11 have Spanish flag, which not only involves loss of opportunity for wealth generation, but also of occupation, thus highlights the need for measures to encourage this sector, which could generate short-term, a dynamic effect on the Spanish economy and especially on the employment. "

Read full article in Europa Press .