Britons who indulge in a spot of pee in the sea may have to budget an extra £635 for their holiday in Marbella, where authorities are set to implement new penalties as part of a tourism clean-up drive on the Costa del Sol.
Councillors in this tourist hotspot in southern Spain have said that bathers will face fines of up to 750 euros if they are caught carrying out “physiological evacuations in the sea and on the beach”.
The measure, which was approved in plenary session and is now awaiting public scrutiny, is part of a broader legislation aimed at reducing the impact of tourism in the Spanish tourist region.
This comes after lawmakers in Vigo, a city in the Galicia region, implemented a similar rule about two years ago.
The fine will be doubled for each repeat offence, meaning that the second penalty will be set at 1,500 euros and the third at 3,000 euros.
But the measure has been criticised and even ridiculed by locals, many of whom regularly engage in the practice and say it is impossible to regulate and enforce.
Councillors at the southern Spanish holiday resort have said bathers will face fines of up to €750 if they are caught carrying out “physiological evacuations in the sea and on the beach”
Councillors in Spain’s southern holiday hotspot have said bathers will face fines of up to €750 if they are caught carrying out “physiological evacuations in the sea and on the beach”.
Tourists show off their behinds on the beach in Spain
Brits looking to pee in the sea could have to spend an extra £635 on their Marbella holiday
Most commentators agreed that urinating on the sand is understandably considered an offence and can be subject to police enforcement.
But peeing in the sea is a different story.
“Who is going to find the guilty ones, the jellyfish?”, asks an incredulous person interviewed about Mario Picazo’s measure for the Spanish television program ‘Tiempo al tiempo’, according to the media. The mail.
“Let them worry about other things. This is idiotic!” said another.
“What would a police officer be looking for? You don’t see it, I don’t understand anything.”
Other media outlets openly criticised the measure, stating that urinating in the sea was “one of the most widespread customs in our country”.
Despite the scandal, the measure has been in force in Malaga since 2004, although with much lighter penalties.
Currently, bathers can be fined up to 300 euros if they are caught urinating on the beach.
But these fines would increase considerably if the new legislation is approved, along with a series of other measures.
These include a series of new restrictions limiting ball games and paddle boards to parts of beaches where these activities could be deemed to “disturb other beach users.”
Bathers will also have to obtain authorisation from the competent authorities before holding any party, public event or competition on the 25 beaches in Marbella affected by the regulations.
Marbella24hours Later, other restrictions were announced, which will prohibit leaving umbrellas or parasols on the sand to reserve a space on the beach, and leaving cigarette butts, rubbish and food scraps on the sand.
Parking of caravans or motorhomes on the beach will also be prohibited when it “contravenes applicable traffic regulations.”
These measures in Marbella come months after the authorities on the island of Mallorca implemented new sanctions to end the chaos created by drunken tourists.
Drunk Brits are seen on the streets of the Spanish resort of Magaluf this summer
Party-goers can be seen sitting on the pavements with their heads in their hands after a long night of partying in the city.
In Magaluf, one of the best-known and most popular party destinations among Britons, tourists are now subject to draconian laws banning drinking on the streets or buying alcohol from corner shops after 8.30pm.
Anyone breaking the rules introduced on May 11 could be fined up to €1,500 (£1,350).
If someone’s offence is found to be more serious, fines could rise to €3,000 (£2,550).
The strict new regulations also ban tourists from hosting public drinking parties, graffiti, driving scooters and displaying nudity.
They are expected to remain in place until at least 2027, at which point the regulations will be reviewed for their effectiveness and impact.