MARINAS across the Costa del Sol are bracing for their busiest summer on record, after a booking bonanza that has left some ports completely sold out.

The region’s top marinas are reporting occupancy rates of between 85% and 100% for the upcoming summer season, with British owners continuing to dominate bookings alongside their French counterparts.

Manuel Raigón, president of Marinas de Andalucía – which represents 40% of the region’s marina capacity – said the figures confirm ‘the excellent health of nautical tourism in the region.’

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“The forecasts for this summer are very positive and confirm the good moment our ports are experiencing,” he told local media. 

“Both the expected occupancy level and the diversity of visitors reflect the international appeal of our coast.”

Spanish, British and French boat owners continue to be the most frequent visitors to Andalucian marinas, with Germans also making a strong showing. 

Other markets include Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal and the United States.

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The 18 marinas represented by the association boast more than 9,000 berths, stretching from Marina El Rompido in Huelva to Club Náutico de San José in Almería.

Popular Costa del Sol destinations include Puerto Duquesa, Puerto Banús, Puerto Deportivo Marbella, Puerto Deportivo Fuengirola, Puerto Deportivo Benalmádena, and IGY Málaga Marina.

The surge in bookings has been fuelled partly by the booming boat rental market, with most marinas now hosting between five and 15 active charter companies – some ports boast more than 100.

“More and more people, especially younger profiles, are getting their sailing licence and renting a boat for a few days with friends or family,” explained Raigón. 

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“It’s a simple and accessible way to experience life at sea.”

Motor boats remain the most popular choice, though sailing boats and catamarans are increasingly common among families and groups of friends exploring the coast.

The intense summer activity sees marinas welcoming an average of eight to nine boats daily, with some ports handling 20 to 40 vessels per day. 

Most short-stay visitors remain between two and four days.

To cope with the unprecedented demand, many marinas have already reinforced their teams, particularly in areas such as seamanship, customer service, security, surveillance and water maintenance.

The boom comes as welcome news for the Costa del Sol’s tourism sector, which continues to attract record numbers of British visitors keen to make the most of the region’s year-round sailing conditions and world-class marina facilities.

THE upcoming treaty set to be signed in Brussels today will reportedly hand control of the Rock’s border to European and Spanish authorities, according to reports in the British press.

The Telegraph newspaper has said it ‘understands’ that British visitors will have to show their passports to Spanish or EU border guards rather than Gibraltarians.

The controversial arrangement will form the centrepiece of the long-awaited post-Brexit deal currently being thrashed out in Brussels, with Foreign Secretary David Lammy, Chief Minister Fabian Picardo, and senior EU officials attempting to finalise the historic agreement.

The proposal would see Gibraltar join the EU’s Schengen passport-free zone as an associate member, allowing the free flow of people between the Rock and Spain.

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Meanwhile, the 90/180 rule would presumably apply to Brits who head to Gibraltar and have no intention of setting foot in Spain.

Sources told The Telegraph that negotiators are ‘the closest we’ve ever been’ to sealing a deal, with Spanish Foreign Ministry insiders expressing cautious optimism about closing the agreement ‘as soon as possible.’

However, the arrangement represents a shift that will raise questions about Gibraltar’s long-cherished sovereignty over its territory.

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Under the proposed deal, British passport holders arriving at Gibraltar airport would be processed by Spanish or EU border guards from Frontex – the European border agency – rather than Gibraltar officials.

This hands-on European presence at Gibraltar’s gateway has long been the most sensitive aspect of post-Brexit negotiations, with previous talks repeatedly stalling over Madrid’s demands for Spanish security forces to operate on the Rock.

Gibraltar has historically rejected any Spanish security presence on its territory, particularly given concerns about the integrity of the RAF base that shares the airport runway.

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The new arrangement appears to represent a compromise that gives Spain and the EU effective control over Gibraltar’s borders, whilst technically maintaining the appearance that Spanish forces aren’t permanently stationed on British sovereign territory.

It is not clear from early reports what arrangement will hold at Gibraltar’s port.

The deal would solve the pressing problem facing the 15,000 Spanish workers who cross the border daily, as well as restore freedom of movement for Gibraltarians who lost their EU citizenship rights after Brexit.

Currently, the border has operated a relaxed ‘wave through’ regime since Brexit came into effect as both sides agreed to keep it open. 

But this cannot continue indefinitely, particularly with the EU’s new electronic Entry Exit System expected to launch this year.

Without a deal, passport and biometric checks could create enormous queues at the vital border crossing, potentially strangling the Rock’s economy.

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However, The Telegraph reports there are concerns the agreement could still collapse due to Conservative opposition in both Britain and Spain, with negotiators determined to avoid a repeat of last year’s failed talks involving former Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron.

A UK official warned: “We’re not going to Brussels to rubber stamp a deal. Hard negotiations in the room ahead on a number of sticking points.”

The sovereignty implications are likely to prove particularly contentious among Gibraltar’s fiercely independent population, who have consistently rejected any hint of Spanish control over their affairs.

Perhaps most controversially, the involvement of Frontex border guards raises the spectre of European officials being able to turn away British visitors to a British territory – even if Gibraltar authorities would have admitted them.

Ahead of the Brussels talks, Chief Minister Picardo struck an optimistic tone, writing online that it was ‘time to try to finalise arrangements for a lasting, stable relationship between Gibraltar and the EU/Spain.’

He emphasised the need for a deal that ‘protects our people and gives certainty to frontier workers with a view to delivering more prosperity for all.’

However, he will be acutely aware that any agreement seen as compromising Gibraltar’s British identity could prove politically toxic at home, with some voices calling for a referendum to ratify whatever deal is agreed.

The negotiations in Brussels represent a make-or-break moment for Gibraltar’s post-Brexit future. 

Success would end years of uncertainty for the Rock’s residents and Spanish workforce, while failure could leave the territory isolated and economically vulnerable.

For Brits, the practical implications are clear – if the deal goes through as reported, visiting the Rock will be the same as visiting Spain.

Whether Gibraltar’s proud population will accept what some may see as ‘Spanish boots on the ground’ – even in the limited form of border guards – remains to be seen.

A SCAM defrauded authorities out of €20 million in VAT on mobile phone sales across Spain.

Proceeds were laundered mainly through real estate purchases.

146 properties have been impounded and over 280 bank accounts used to launder the unpaid tax have been blocked.

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A joint operation between the Guardia Civil and the Tax Agency has led to 15 arrests of people involved in the long-running con since 2019.

The gang set up a business network around Spain with 20 companies that included mobile phone shops which evaded paying VAT.

23 addresses were raided resulting in five arrests in both the Malaga and Valencia areas, two in Madrid, and one each in Barcelona, Cadiz, and Sevilla.

Officers seized 9,000 mobile phones, more than €200,000 in cash, 35,500 US dollars in cryptocurrencies and 75 vehicles.

Phones were imported or bought in bulk from large stores when promotions were being offered.

The gang then set up a complex resales process which meant it was difficult for authorities to trace the items and work out what tax was owed.

Bogus parcels that were marked as containing mobile phones, actually consisted of wood or bottles of water at the same declared weight to confuse investigators.

The phone units were sold as ‘refurbished’ to buyers in Spain and across Europe via online platforms.

The low prices offered allowed them to undercut legitimate competitors