Outrage in Spain over new problem tourists are causing - ‘now it’s boats’

An increasing number of tourists are renting out boats in the Balearic Islands. (Image: Getty)

A growing number of individuals are renting out boats for rates up to €1,500 (£1,260) per day in the popular Balearic Islands,  which is causing outrage among locals. The boats are advertised on specialised websites, a model similar to that of Airbnb for holiday rentals.

In January 2024, the Spanish Government waived the requirement for qualifications to pilot motored recreational boats of up to five metres in length, with a maximum power of 15 horsepower, and sailing boats up to six metres in length, provided they do not travel more than two nautical miles from the point of departure. This also allowed boat owners to commercially operate their vehicles for a maximum of three months per year. While the regulations have not yet come into effect, charter companies in the archipelago have said they are being contacted daily by individuals seeking to profit from the boats they own, adding that "illegal offers have skyrocketed".

The Balearic Government has decided to take action against the chartering of private boats. (Image: Getty)

The Balearic Islands are now suffering from one of the highest accident rates in the country and long waiting lists for moorings. As a result, the regional Government has decided to take action. 

They have issued a regional decree expressly prohibiting the chartering of private boats. It goes further and bans the chartering of any vessel that does not have a place to embark and disembark its passengers, reported the Majorca Daily Bulletin.

Boats originating from the mainland or foreign ports will have to prove that they operate regularly in the archipelago to be legally licensed. However, because this has produced a conflict between national and regional regulations, the matter is likely to end up in a constitutional battle.

According to Toni Mercant, the regional Government's director general for maritime transport, the Spanish regulations from January 2024 are risky and invite "speculation of the public domain".

Under the Balearic regulations, websites will be required to include boat registration numbers, similar to how Airbnb should operate. (Image: Getty)

"It's as if just because you own a car, this gives you the right to rent it out for three months a year. Or as if you could stop anywhere and charge five euros to each person who gets into the car and take them on an excursion. This forces us to adapt to the new circumstances in order to guarantee the safety of people, the sustainability of the environment, and our economy."

Under the Balearic regulations that will come into force after the summer, websites will be required to include boat registration numbers, similar to how Airbnb and other accommodation websites are supposed to operate. 

"What we are proposing is innovative in several respects," added Mr Mercant. "It may not be enough for charter companies in the Balearics, as they would have preferred us to require the necessity of a home port on the islands to operate from, but we knew that Europe could challenge this, so that's why we have opted for the formula of requiring a suitable place to embark and disembark people and for supplies and waste."

The association of charter companies in the archipelago has welcomed the Government's measures, with its president, Pedro Francisco Gil, saying: "We hope that activity will be carried out in a regulated manner to increase safety at sea and clearly reduce intrusion in the sector".