SPAIN: Food Poisoning Frauds In Spain

British tourists who make fraudulent claims of food poisoning after going on all-inclusive trips to Spain have been warned they could face prosecution amid fears the increasingly prevalent scam is damaging the UK’s reputation abroad.

Spanish hoteliers are furious at the growing market in false insurance claims, saying it cost their industry €60m (£52m) last year alone.

According to the Spanish hotel owners association (CEHAT), cases of tourists on all-inclusive packages making false complaints of stomach problems have soared over the past 12 months, with tour operators in Mallorca reporting a 700% rise.

CEHAT estimates that the 90% of the claims usually made through small-claims management companies who target tourists in resorts or after they have returned home are bogus.

Part of the problem is that medical evidence of illness is seldom needed to make an insurance claim. The patience of the Spanish hotel industry is coming to an end, CEHAT said.

Twelve months after the first incidents of fraudulent claims were detected, no measures whatsoever have been put in place to reduce the number of cases. If anything, it’s been the other way round and businesses are saying enough is enough.

Were food poisoning really so widespread in Spanish hotels, it added, a worldwide health alert would have been declared and yet the number of cases registered with the health authorities continues to fall because of the increasingly high levels of quality, hygiene and safety put in place by the Spanish hotel industry.

A record 75 million tourists visited Spain last year, with British tourists making up the largest national grouping. As Spanish hoteliers prepare for another busy season, CEHAT is unveiling a series of measures to tackle the problem.

The situation is really worrying because of the volume of claims that we know what has been made and because of those we expect to be made this summer, secretary general of the organisation. We can’t wait for the kind of long-term measures being proposed by tour operators.

CEHAT says it will gather the necessary evidence to prosecute anyone involved in the fraud and use Spanish law to target organised groups in the commission of a crime. It is working to draw up a protocol so that hotels will pay out only if medical evidence is submitted as part of the claim.

A spokesman for the Association of British Travel Agents (Abta) said UK holidaymakers on all inclusive trips were being targeted by unscrupulous claims management companies.

They encourage people to submit claims by saying that they are entitled to compensation if they’ve been ill on one of these holidays, often coaching people into what to say, he said.

This risks causing severe damage to the reputation of UK holidaymakers overseas as we are the only nationality to submit false or exaggerated claims in any significant numbers.

Abta says anyone approached by a claims company representative in a resort should tell the hotel management.

If approached back in the UK through social media or on the phone and encouraged to lie or exaggerate their experiences, people should report them to the police.

This is out-and-out fraud which apart from damaging how we are viewed as a nation, runs the risk of putting up overseas holiday prices for everyone, said the spokesman.

Prosecution both here and overseas, if you put in a false or exaggerated claim, is a very real possibility as police forces will view this as a priority, particularly in countries where tourism is an important sector for their economy.

Of course if you have legitimately suffered food poisoning because of bad hygiene at your hotel, complain immediately, let the hotel and your tour operator know.

Do not wage claims after two to four years to do so as a large numbers of tourists are currently doing.

UNITED KINGDOM: Holiday Currency Up, Pound Down To Lowest Since 1985

MANY UK holidaymakers travelling abroad will pay more for foreign currency as the pound plunged to its lowest level since 1985 following the EU referendum.

Sterling was down against every single major currency group.

The pound crashed 10% against the dollar overnight to 1.33 US dollars, a low not seen in 30 years.

This could make the UK a more affordable destination for overseas tourists.

The victory for the Leave campaign is unlikely to have any immediate ramifications for UK tourists passing through immigration controls abroad, or for inbound tourism.

A spokesman for Heathrow Airport said: "Anyone travelling through the airport will find it operating normally with no changes to security and immigration."

Bill Gibbons, director of industry body Discover Ferries, which represents 12 ferry companies, insisted that the vote will not have an impact on summer travel plans.

"Ferries will continue to travel as normal and there will be no changes to routes or schedules," he added. "It will be business as usual."

Joel Brandon-Bravo, UK managing director of travel deals company Travelzoo, warned that the referendum result would have an impact on the tourism industry in several ways.

He said: "The next 24 months of negotiations will be crucial for British travel - particularly if the UK Government wants to maintain inbound tourism from the EU, and avoid a price hike for Britons wanting to travel abroad for holidays.

"Obviously top priority is dealing with the impact the referendum result will have on the value of the pound, but there are other factors that could make the result a big blow for the travel industry."

Mr Brandon-Bravo urged the Government to quickly negotiate how an independent UK will operate in the European Common Aviation Area.

Travel organisation Abta warned during the referendum campaign that foreign travel was "likely to become more expensive" following Brexit.

SCOTLAND: UK Tourists May Experience Price Hikes

Many UK holidaymakers travelling abroad will pay more for foreign currency as the pound plunged to its lowest level since 1985 following the EU referendum.

Sterling was down against every single major currency group.

The pound crashed 10% against the dollar overnight to 1.33 US dollars, a low not seen in 30 years.

This could make the UK a more affordable destination for overseas tourists.

The victory for the Leave campaign is unlikely to have any immediate ramifications for UK tourists passing through immigration controls abroad, or for inbound tourism.

A spokesman for Heathrow Airport said: "Anyone travelling through the airport will find it operating normally with no changes to security and immigration."

Bill Gibbons, director of industry body Discover Ferries, which represents 12 ferry companies, insisted that the vote will not have an impact on summer travel plans.

"Ferries will continue to travel as normal and there will be no changes to routes or schedules," he added. "It will be business as usual."

Joel Brandon-Bravo, UK managing director of travel deals company Travelzoo, warned that the referendum result would have an impact on the tourism industry in several ways.

He said: "The next 24 months of negotiations will be crucial for British travel - particularly if the UK Government wants to maintain inbound tourism from the EU, and avoid a price hike for Britons wanting to travel abroad for holidays.

"Obviously top priority is dealing with the impact the referendum result will have on the value of the pound, but there are other factors that could make the result a big blow for the travel industry."

Mr Brandon-Bravo urged the Government to quickly negotiate how an independent UK will operate in the European Common Aviation Area.

Travel organisation Abta warned during the referendum campaign that foreign travel was "likely to become more expensive" following Brexit.

It published a report which stated that holidaymakers and business travellers may face increased costs if an exit vote leads to a fall in the value of sterling, while travel businesses may also raise prices in order to recoup the cost of new taxes and levies being introduced.

Another potential factor which could make travel more expensive is consumers needing to cover additional insurance costs if the UK leaves the European Health Insurance Card scheme, according to the report produced with economic analysis by Deloitte.

The research concluded: "In the longer term, following a Brexit, travel is likely to become more expensive."

Andrew Swaffield, chief executive of low-cost airline Monarch, responded to the study by saying that the UK leaving the EU could lead to an increase in air fares and a reduction in the number of flights.

Some Travellers May Not Get Compensation For Cancelled Trips To Sharm El Sheik

The Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) has warned independent travellers that they could be liable to pay 100 per cent of their hotel costs if they are unable to travel to Sharm el-Sheikh.

ABTA's Sean Tipton said that while package tourists can expect a full refund or an alternative holiday if Foreign Office advice prevents them flying to Sharm, people who have booked independently may lose money.

He said: "They should be able to transfer their flights, but if they have booked accommodation separately they will almost certainly be charged if they are unable to go to Sharm.

In some cases the cancellation fee can be 100 per cent of the cost of their stay.

It really does depend on the terms and conditions of individual hotels at the time the booking was made."