The Government publishes the decree for the development of the Tourism Law, by which the Ibiza party boats are equated with establishments on the mainland.
La Controversy of the disco boats in Ibiza and Formentera faces two visions: on the one hand the right to leisure and recreation at the same time as a undeniable tourist attraction and important tourist business, on the other hand, problems and discomfort that generate the parties on the boats in terms of noise pollution, dirt (often in protected areas of great natural value), discomfort for bathers and even security issues.
However, from now on, "Party boats" will have to meet the same requirements as the rest of the tourist establishments located on the mainland, following the decree recently approved by the Govern to develop the Tourism Law approved in 2013.
Thus, the Ministry of Tourism may also control these activities, which it did not do before, since there was a legal vacuum, so that the "party boats" will have to comply with the same requirements that are required of restaurants or discos, such as submitting to regular plans for modernization and quality, health criteria, food safety, control of capacity or noise.
The activity of the parties in the ships would be regulated, in principle, by the simple registration in a register of tourist activities of the companies that offer this service.
This has forceful rejection by the Consell de Formentera, whose Regional Minister for the Environment, Silvia Tur, has stated: "Formentera does not want to be the extension of Ibiza's nightclubs", and ensures that with regard to this activity, boat parties, the decree does not regulate anything, but is a mere procedure, since does not include criteria or conditions for the development of the activity nor does it regulate any restrictions in protected areas or some form of sanction.
