CRUISE SHIPS? NO THANK YOU
CRUISE SHIPS? NO THANK YOU
Andrew J Linn
What should we think of the growing movement across the world to discourage mass tourism? On the Coast we have not yet arrived at situations like those of Barcelona, Venice or Puket, but quite probably we will soon witness a conflict of interests between those who make their livings out of tourism and the rest. The idea of introducing taxes and charges for visiting places will become increasingly controversial, and a conflict-free solution is not on the cards. It may sound drastic but the logical solution is to discourage, if not ban, day tourists. This species arrive at their chosen destination in the morning, their pockets stuffed with what they have ‘harvested’ from the breakfast buffet, and they leave a few hours later to have a main meal where they came from. They even bring their mineral water so they don’t have to buy anything at the tour destination. They make no economic contribution to the place they are visiting, so in real terms they are on a freebie.
Although in this area mass tourism probably affects us only when we find ourselves in a street that has been invaded, the ‘cruisers’ are the worst of all. Any given day a ship may arrive with 5,000 passengers and the only beneficiaries are the port authorities. The cost of a cruise typically includes around 35% of the fees and taxes that represent what the the ships are charged for visiting a port. All passengers have their three meals a day guaranteed so really have no incentive to spend any money on food or drink while in port, In Málaga you will hear faint praise for the money cruise passengers spend in restaurants, while those from elite passenger boats like The World, a frequent visitor, are looking for gastronomic are delights and prepared top pay for them. Indeed these millionaire ships offer no free lunches, and the passengers have to pay for their food and drink wherever they are. The problem of course is that these mini cruise boats only deliver a few hundred passengers into the grateful arms of Málaga restaurants, but at least that is better than the 5,000 that may arrive one day on one of these ‘queens of the seas’
AJ LINN
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