In a recent interview with the Spanish daily ‘El Mundo’, Miguel Sebastián, Minister of Industry, made it clear what he thinks about Marina d’Or, an unseemly new development and holiday resort in Oropesa, Castellon province, on the Costa del Azahar.

“I prefer, without any doubt, tourism before Marina d’Or,” said the Minister, who is ultimately responsible for the tourist industry in Spain. “We have to focus on quality tourism”. At the very least it is clear that, as far as Sebastián is concerned, Marina d’Or is not quality.

The Minister’s comments enraged Carlos Fabra, head of the provincial government of Castellón, where Marina d’Or is located. In a press release Fabra criticised Sebastián for disparaging “one of the pillars of tourism in Castellón”. He went on to say that “one cannot tolerate the minister responsible for tourism in Spain making such declarations”.

Marina d’Or is a controversial new development that has been marketed to British holiday-home buyers and investors. It has been consistently criticised by Greenpeace for its environmental impact, and its promoter, Jesus Ger, is implicated in corruption scandals.