Operators who rent out deckchairs at Blue Lagoon are no longer being limited to an allowance of 70 between them but will have to keep them within a predefined area.
The Malta Tourism Authority, which regulates the sector, is trying to strike a balance between the demands of the estimated 4,000 bathers who are dropped off at Comino every day and the two operating licences that specify an allocation of no more than 70 units.
“If we had to strictly adhere to the allowance, we would have a lot of dissatisfied customers. Obviously you cannot satisfy the thousands, but we are satisfying as many as possible, keeping in mind the organisation and accessibility of the island,” David Mifsud, director of the MTA’s enforcement directorate, told this newspaper.
Comino is very popular and whatever we do we cannot stop the influx of people
Mr Mifsud said most of those who visit the island do not take sunbeds or umbrellas with them and ask for a deckchair when they land.
At the end of last month, The Sunday Times of Malta went to Comino after Malta Tourism Authority CEO Gavin Gulia said order would be brought to the island.
While no deckchairs were set up in Cominotto as boats are no longer allowed to anchor there, sun beds were sprawled on the rocks stopping just short of the garigue.
Following two “fact-finding visits” by the MTA last week, the two operators have been told to keep deckchairs off these high rocks altogether. Their beach paraphernalia will only be allowed on the jetty, along the small sandy beach and on a flat rocky area along the coastline of the Blue Lagoon.
Some deckchairs can be spread on the slope leading up to the food kiosks from the sandy beach, however they cannot block the passageway.
Photos sent to the newspaper over the weekend show that the sunbeds have in fact been kept off the high rocks.
“Comino is very popular and whatever we do we cannot stop the influx of people. There are limiting permits, but the demand far outstrips the supply,” said another MTA official, Ray Azzopardi, senior manager of the product development directorate.
He said the authority was maintaining order also by ensuring there were passageways through the sunbeds.
“We cannot kill the operation as the demand is there. Somehow we need to find a balance between accommodating the people who use sunbeds and the needs of the area including protecting the garigue,” he added.
MTA has asked the planning authority to cordon off the protected garigue, as was done in previous years.
Meanwhile, the licence fees collected paid by operators, totalling €28,000, is being reinvested in the area through lifeguard services and waste management among others.
While the island is monitored by the police, who are stationed there, Mr Mifsud said it was not feasible to have its inspectors there on a daily basis just to see if deckchairs are kept within the allocation. However, the authority will organise regular spot-checks.