The current issues affecting the lagoon has impacted on the tourism sector, with September bookings grinding to a halt
The deterioration of the saltwater lagoon of the Mar Menor not only has detrimental environmental consequences but has also decimated the tourism sector, according to the hotel management association of Cartagena and Comarca, Hostecar. Since several tons of dead fish and crustaceans washed up on the area’s shores in the middle of the summer season, the hostelry sector in La Manga and the southern area of the Mar Menor has reportedly suffered a decrease in turnover of between 60 and 70 per cent.
While the president of Hostetur, Soledad Díaz, has acknowledged that hotels in the area haven’t yet seen any cancellations for September, bookings are way down compared to other years, and many establishments have closed off their summer campaigns early due to the lack of tourists.
The big fear now is that if the situation with the lagoon remains unresolved it could affect the booking of Imserso trips in the coming months, a programme which takes older people on bargain breaks during the low season and provides a much needed boost to the local economy.
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