We are many paragliding pilots who have enjoyed the free flying in Gran Alacant, Santa Pola. Pilots from all over the world, and their families, on vacation for weeks or weekends, spending their time near the free flight zone, near one of the most precious regions on the Levante zone in Spain. We brought our colourful wings, adventurous minds. We were photographed a million times, as souvenirs on tourists photo albums. On brochures, flyers and souvenirs.

Several businesses, opened up near this marvellous world known spot, creating jobs. Attracted many visiting pilots, flying with thousands of passenger’s tandem flights. All who wanted to go home with a treasured memory of Gran Alacant, Santa Pola. I write in the past tense, as I am worried. Worried, as this soon will be all over.

And all because of the construction of an unnecessary wall in the middle of our take-off zone!!! A wall, which is going to be high up creating a risk of accidents. And let there be no doubt that many businesses around the paragliding community are going to suffer, to a degree, I am afraid to calculate.

It all sounds very pessimistic but, afraid all this will become reality soon.

The wall is going to have its negative effect on lots if things. Overall, everybody is going to lose.

Pilots & sports-people:

We ll have to go fly at other places, we will no longer be flying at the emblematic site in Gran Alacant.

Gran Alacant & Santa Pola itself as community:

Will loose all the numerous sportsmen coming down. Losing a extraordinary attraction for tourism. Thousands of pilots with their families will leave Gran Alacant and Santa Pola aside. Lots of money lost.

Businesses in Gran Alacant & Santa Pola:

Will lose the huge revenue of all visitors who come to Santa Pola to fly. They need accommodation, food, drinks, buy presents, etc. That money will be soon gone. Thousands persons times lots of euros, times many days, will cause a brutal negative impact economically.

Only those who underestimate the revenue of foreign visitors in Gran Alacant and Santa Pola will not agree.

Who wins??? Tell me.

I don’t know, nobody knows. I write this, because that’s all I can do, expressing my concern. Please share this words with all pilots that you know, all who love Gran Alacant. And I also write this post to open up the eyes of Town hall of Santa Pola, especially after spending 60,000€ on building a new pathway for paragliders! To ask for their help, so thousands can keep on enjoying the region and its attractions. Bringing in money for the local business. I hope you all share my opinion, and share this post.

We will fly further, no doubt, we are winners, and we have been flying for over 30 years, paragliding in Santa Pola.

Nick, Doyouwanna Paragliding

Town Hall’s Response: We have looked into this issue, and the wall project was authorised in February. However, that was a small work, and it was supposed to be within the area which belongs to the urbanisations. Nevertheless, we have talked to the municipal lawyer, and there is a clause that states that paragliders activity must always be guaranteed, so we have asked our lawyer to paralyse the wall project, at least until we have the correct dimensions because there must be a safe area for the paragliders to use.