Brit holidaymakers being targeted by compensation touts who are seeing tourists bag an average of £2,000 for fraudulent holiday sickness claims
Spanish hoteliers claim there’s been a 700 per cent rise in false compo claims in just four years
TOUTS are cajoling holidaying Brits into making bogus food poisoning claims - with Spanish tourism bosses complaining it’s now reaching epidemic proportions.
The problems is getting so bad hotels threatening to axe all-inclusive holidays for British sun-seekers.
As reported, the UK Government is set to crackdown on scammers by fining any UK holidaymaker who puts in a false claim.
Since 2013 tummy bug claims have surged by 430 per cent, according to the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA).
But Spanish hoteliers are claiming the figure in some areas is more like 700 per cent.
Jorge Marichal, the owner of several hotels in Tenerife, another target destination, told : “It's only British people who are making these claims.
“They went up 600 per cent in terms of food-related illness claims between 2015 and 2016, and that's a direct result of the scandalous tactics of these cowboy firms.”
It comes after a British couple were accused of making a “fake” claim over “dodgy food” at a Greek hotel could face losing their home after the chain launched a £170,000 counter-claim.
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Sean and Caroline Bondarenko allegedly fabricated a £10,000 compensation claim against the five-star Caldera Palace Hotel in Crete.
They reportedly said the food and drink had made them sick but court documents show the hotel has submitted a counter-claim stating that the couple enjoyed their holiday, according to the .
It comes after reports there’s been a huge rise in the number of bogus sickness claims in the last 18 months – with some Spanish hotels threatening to axe all-inclusive holidays for Brits.
Hoteliers in Mallorca estimate they have paid out more than 50 million euros in damages over the last 18 months.
Some hotels, including ones in the Canary Islands, are considering asking guests to sign disclaimer forms at the end of their stay to confirm they did NOT get food poisoning during their stay.
Many others have stepped up checks and vigilance.
Some chemists in Spain are being asked NOT to sell tummy upset remedies to British holidaymakers.
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