Xàbia unanimously approves Socialist motion to regulate kayak excursion companies

Xàbia has unanimously approved a motion presented by the PSOE at the plenary session held this week which proposes to regulate the activities of companies offering kayak excursions in particularly sensitive areas of the town’s coastline, such as Cala de la Granadella and Cala de la Barraca / Portitxol.

The proposal stems from the concerns expressed to the PSOE by the Asociación de Empresas de Kayak de Xàbia (Xàbia Kayak Business Association) regarding the local council’s lack of oversight and compliance with previously established agreements to protect the environment, promote fair competition, and ensure user safety.

The motion explained that: “The massive and uncontrolled tourist activities are taking us down a path that we will hardly be able to reconstruct. Today we are talking about kayak excursions that take advantage of our coastline to do a business that is exceeding the reasonable limits of balance, coexistence and the right to enjoy natural spaces by all and sundry. As we know, Cala Granadella and Cala del Portitxol are two of the most fragile, valuable and also massive spaces in our town. Today, there are 15 kayak companies that offer excursion and rental services, and all of them start their routes from the Granadella pier. The Kayak Association, founded by companies in Xàbia, has shared its frustration with us at seeing that the local council is not carrying out the necessary surveillance and regulatory actions to enforce the agreements that the companies themselves assumed for the sake of protecting natural spaces, balancing competition and the well-being and safety of users.”

The motion emphasized the need to expand and detail the current citizen coexistence ordinance regarding the use of beaches and coastal areas. Among the aspects to be regulated are the granting of licenses, limitations on the number of kayaks per zone, authorized hours, training requirements for guides, and sanctions for those who violate the regulations. It also proposes strengthening surveillance at the most frequented spots during the peak season and launching awareness campaigns on responsible kayaking.

This initiative joins other sustainable measures promoted by previous PSOE governments in Xàbia, such as the protection of the oceanic posidonia underwater sea meadows, the marking off of beaches and anchorage areas, and the regulation of traffic in natural areas such as Granadella and the Primer Montañar.

PSOE Xàbia said that this new regulation is a key step toward a more organized, sustainable, and environmentally friendly tourism model.