Achieving environmental sustainability of the yachting industry is an ongoing process that requires substantial adjustment to the way things are done in this industry.
This article is not to debate on aspects such as sustainable yacht production, marina development or best practice in yacht maintenance such as using only environmentally friendly cleaning agents and the like. These areas are (in most cases) already a work in progress, as there are financially tangible benefits in being ‘green’.
My intention here is to focus on the social impact of ‘nautical tourism’.
It is easy for the public’s perception of yacht owners and charterers to be one of rich people in shiny boats, who don’t have to work and have money to burn. Admittedly, we are privileged. Very much so if considering that a large percentage of the world’s population don’t even have their basic human rights met and are fighting for daily survival or just the right to be.
However, yachting isn’t reserved for the rich and privileged anymore. New materials, manufacturing techniques and general accessibility have made sailing and chartering available to the many. But just as we can’t blame Henry Ford or Ferdinand Porsche for making cars affordable to the people, we can’t blame manufacturers or the charter companies for the misbehaving few who ruin the reputation for everyone else sailing responsibly.
Let us assume for the purpose of this discussion that everyone involved in recreational activities in or on the water will be ‘tarred by the same brush’. The negatively effected community will not differentiate between the socially conscious and disrespectful.
Yacht Week, BucketLust and Yachtpack … they might all be good for business right now but it raises the question whether charter companies have a responsibility when considering whom they rent yachts to.
I am not talking about your average, once a year family sailors who forgot how to sail or anchor in between their annual charters and bump into another boat. I am talking about large, organized groups of sublet yachts turned into party boats akin to Roman orgies.
Like at those ancient parties, no consideration is given to the surrounding environment, equipment or fellow travellers. Stuart McGurk refers to this in his article in GQ as ‘Yacht Week is Sodom and Gomoarrah at sea’.…
I come across a Dutch boat drinking with their skipper, Cowboy Carl. “They started with two bottles of vodka” he said almost misty-eyed, He hugs them. “My boys”
While damage to boats and hardware might be fixable and is most likely factored into the profits made by charter companies and their insurers, long term-damage done to the reputation of the industry and subsequent losses will far outweigh the short-term gains.
Just like the Croatian town of Hvar has realized, this type of high-octane tourism might not be in the best interest of their community and are actively putting in place programs to limit the number of party dwellers and control their behaviour.
Authorities, driven by business owners and locals alike, have realized that this disruption to the normal tourism is ultimately having a negative impact on the local economy and some controls need to be put in place. Rick Lyman from the New York Times explains further in this article: ‘Hvar to crack down on drunken tourists’.
The ‘BalkanInsight’ features a similar story.
Croatia isn’t the only country facing the issue of ‘Party Tourism’ and its associated ‘hang overs’. Ireland realized in the late 90’s that promoting “stag nights” may not have been in the best interest of all involved and banned these events in some of their most famous locations. Countries like the UK and Spain have experienced similar turn-arounds in fortunes. They are now actively steering away from encouraging party dwellers onto their doorsteps. Alternatively, they have programs in place to educate visitors about respecting the local environment and culture, with varying degrees of success.
Without repeating other industry’s mistakes, the charter industry now has a distinct opportunity to avoid falling into the same trap. Food for thought.
Ultimately though, the onus is on us, the end user, the sailor, the cruiser, the charterer. We all have a choice where we travel, charter and ultimately, where we take our money…. long after the ‘hang over’ of party tourism has vanished.
We need to be prudent and lead by example of being culturally aware and considerate citizens. We can highlight the benefits of the cruising and charter industry to the local community and show both can coexist and benefit from each other in a sustainable, respectful way.
I’m interested to hear your thoughts! Forward this to anyone who has an interest or stake in the leisure yacht industry.
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