NO SAVING SPACE Beach hoggers face fines

Posted on 08/11/2016

Italian police are issuing fines to tourists who get up early to save the best beach spots, or leave personal belongings on lounge chairs overnight. Personal beach items have been seized in Tortoreto, Cosenza and Salerno and some beaches have banned chairs and umbrellas before 8.30 am.

The initiative, called Operation Safe Sea, gives officials the right to issue fines of €220 ($320) to people who do not comply with requests.According to a report in Italian newspaper La Republica, 37 deck and beach chairs, 30 umbrellas, plus towels and bathing suits were confiscated by the Livorno coastguard in western Tuscany.Italy introduced a similar initiative almost 10 years ago. In 2007, coastguard officials fined six tourists about £700 ($1192) for leaving 10 towels on the beach before 6am at a resort in Liguria, northwestern Italy.Operation Safe Sea is also cracking down on people who charge for renting out loungers and umbrellas on public beaches.