Move will prevent an exodus of foreign craft
Italy has scrapped plans to hit foreign boaters in its waters with a daily berthing tax.
The levy, approved as part of an austerity package late last year, will now only apply to Italian nationals, even those sailing under a foreign flag.
Also exempted from the charge are boats belonging to hire or leasing companies.
When first announced last year, the tax sent shivers down the spines of foreign boaters in Italy, who faced paying between €5 and €701 a day for the pleasure of simply spending a day in Italian waters.
With this move, however, Italy has saved itself from a potential exodus of foreign boats to friendlier tax regimes.
Anton Francesco Albertoni, president of UCINA, Italy’s nautical industries association, said: “We are pleased that foreign pleasure boaters can now organise their holidays in our seas without having to pay any additional charges.
“Nautical tourism from abroad is an important resource for our country. Therefore, we may now continue to offer overseas pleasure boaters the opportunity to enjoy the extraordinary natural beauty of our coastlines, as well as the services, facilities and warm welcome Italian hospitality is renowned for.”
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