War of Words between Spain and Britain Put Gibraltar Tourism under Fire

Spanish sovereignty and Spanish tourism are clashing on the border between Spain and the British held enclave of Gibraltar. The latest eruption of tensions over the territory was sparked by the construction of an artificial reef on Gibraltar that has raised the ire of Spanish fishermen who say it impedes the movement of their boats.

Spain’s Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo indicated that the government was considering a list of sanctions such as disrupting flights by closing air space and to impose a €50 ($66) fee to cross the Spanish border.

The British returned fire when the territory’s chief minister compared Spain’s “saber rattling” to North Korea’s. Gibraltar's Chief Minister Fabian Picardo also compared Spain’s recent anger to the rhetoric of one-time Spanish dictator Francisco Franco.

The 2.6 square mile has been a British protectorate since the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht. At one time it was an important base for the British Navy, but these days it’s mostly known for its special tax structure that attracts financial services, gambling, shipping and tourism.

Spain has already begun enforcing rigorous border checks that can take as long as six hours. About 30,000 travelers, including 10,000 Spaniards who are Gibraltar tourism workers, cross the border daily. Furthermore, Spain strapped with a desperate economic situation can hardly afford to disturb tourism, one of its few healthy industries. British tourists, at about 27 percent of the whole, are by far Spain’s largest market and with these moves, Spain risks antagonizing them.

Source: Travel Pulse, http://www.travelpulse.com/war-of-words-between-spain-and-britain-put-gibraltar-tourism-under-fire.html