On 7/5, a German tourist was awarded over 1,000 USD in compensation following an unusual lawsuit against a travel company. The case stemmed from his family's vacation in 8/2024 at the Grecotel Kos Imperial resort in Greece, where their expectations were not met.

Despite hotel rules strictly prohibiting reserving spots with towels for more than 30 minutes, the entire lounge area was "falsely reserved" from early morning. The tourist's family repeatedly complained to resort staff and the travel company, but the situation did not improve. His two children, aged 9 and 12, often had to sit on the ground due to the lack of available chairs.

This issue of "virtual reservation" has become a common problem at luxury resorts worldwide. Many guests place towels to reserve spots without actually occupying them, disadvantaging those who adhere to the rules. The German tourist reported that during their 2024 vacation, his family had to wake up at 6 AM and spend over 20 minutes each day to find a vacant chair.

Illustration of tourists sunbathing at a resort. *Photo: Grazia*

The court affirmed that children have the right to enjoy services and amenities equivalent to adults in family vacation packages. It ruled that the trip organizer must refund the plaintiff's family 1,200 USD out of a total cost of 8,500 USD. The panel of judges determined this constituted a "service delivery error" under the law.

Judges noted that while the travel company could not guarantee every guest a sun lounger all day, it had an obligation to ensure facilities provided a reasonable number of chairs for guests.

"Sunbathing wars" are a frequent occurrence at European resorts. In 2024, a widely circulated video captured guests competing for chairs at the Ohtels Vila Romana resort in Salou, Spain. In the same year, some Spanish resorts began warning guests against "reserving" with towels, with potential fines of up to 300 USD.

By Hoai Anh (Source: Yahoo, Independent)