A man who feels “unchanged” by the new drinking rule in some Spanish resorts, which invites holidaymakers to check the fine print of their all-inclusive package holidays.
Jason Walker remained “angry” after budgeting for his vacation, only to be informed on arrival at the hotel that there was a new “six drink” rule he was unaware of.
Spanish politicians have outraged Britons by imposing a new “six drinks a day” rule for all-inclusive vacations in resorts on several islands, including Ibiza and Mallorca.
The new law will severely affect hotels in the Balearic Islands and means that tourists will be forced to pay more if they want more than six drinks with their food.
The new rule affects some resort areas in the Balearic Islands, including Palma, Ibiza and Magaluf (Image: SWNS) Read more Related articles Read more Related articles
Jason, 42, said he was left “angry” and “upset” by the restrictions.
He went on a trip to Mallorca to celebrate his cousin’s birthday earlier this week after paying £ 240 for a three-day trip with Love Holiday.
Jason guessed that the all-inclusive seal on his reservation meant he could eat and drink whatever he wanted.
But the security guard was shocked when he arrived on the island in the Mediterranean because he discovered the restriction on alcohol – and now he is urging others to check the fine print in their contracts.
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He said: “We only found out when we registered and budgeted so much because we thought all our food and drinks would be covered.
“We were very upset and angry.
“We came as a family of eight to celebrate my cousin’s 40th birthday, and although we still had a good time, we incurred additional costs as a result.”
Spanish authorities announced the new law in January, but hundreds of Britons were captured as they arrived on holiday.
Jason enjoys his balcony in the sun during his all-inclusive vacation in Spain (Image: Jason Walker / SWNS) Read more Related articles Read more Related articles
The new rule affects some resort areas in the Balearic Islands, including Palma, Ibiza and Magaluf.
The regulations now state that “alcoholic beverages will be limited to six a day” in an attempt to curb the island’s antisocial behavior.
It is also believed that there is a ban on visiting pubs, happy hours and offers for two-to-one drinks, and those caught breaking the rules will receive heavy fines.
Jason of Blackburn in Lancashire said he understood the government’s attempt to curb the outrage.
However, he believes the rules need to be better advertised.
He said: “I understand that they are trying to stop alcohol abuse and rude behavior, but I think it was done very vilely – I was not informed about it and I did not know about the law.
“We’re here as a family, and all-inclusive is great for families, because you don’t have to worry about your food and drink budget.”
Jason wants tour operators to make clear the rules for drinks and how their travels can be affected.
The Briton also believes that the resorts affected by the six-drink limit are incorrectly labeled and should not be sold as “all inclusive”.
He said: “I looked at the fine print and the rule for alcoholic beverages is there, so I don’t think it should be sold as an all-inclusive holiday, it should be sold as half board or something like that.
“If you’re booking an all-inclusive holiday, I recommend you take a look at the fine print and see what’s actually included and what’s not, because the rules have changed.”
On social media, other holidaymakers reacted angrily to the new rule.
One Twitter user said: “Britons will now be limited to just six drinks a day, which can only be accessed with their lunch and dinner – with only three drinks available.
“[That’s] commonly referred to as “half board plus”. It’s time to cancel All Inclusive hotel contracts. ”
A spokesman for ABTA – The Travel Association – said the rules could cause “confusion” among holidaymakers.
They said: “ABTA strongly supports initiatives that improve the health and safety of holidaymakers, as well as the well-being of local communities.
“Some of the measures introduced by the Balearic authorities to curb anti-social behavior have the potential to confuse holidaymakers in the United Kingdom.
“We welcome the recent clarification by the authorities, including that the restrictions will only apply to certain limited areas of Mallorca and Ibiza, and not to the entire Balearic Islands, as originally proposed.
ABTA will continue to engage with the Government of the Balearic Islands, ABTA members and other countries to promote clear communication and information exchange to ensure that holidaymakers traveling to hotels in certain areas enjoy a positive customer experience .
Whereas tour operator Thomas Cook warned his customers by email.
42-year-old was “angry and upset” by the change of rules (Image: Jason Walker / SWNS)
The operator said: “Please note that the Balearic Government has issued a decree on a new restriction on the All Inclusive diet option.
“A maximum of six alcoholic beverages per person per day can be served and these drinks will only be offered during lunch and dinner (3 each).
“Please note that there is a new All Inclusive limit in Magaluf, El Arenal, Playa de Palma in Mallorca and Sant Antoni in Ibiza.”
A LoveHolidays spokesman told the Daily Star: “We are sorry to hear that the client is disappointed with his stay at the Aluasun Torrenova Hotel.
“We value any feedback from our customers and are constantly reviewing our processes to offer customers the best possible experience. Unfortunately, the client did not contact us to raise the issue. As such, we have not been able to address the inquiry with the client.
“A decree issued by the government of the Balearic Islands limits alcoholic beverages to a maximum of six per person per day for the all-inclusive diet option. With this in mind, we describe the drinks available to the customer on the hotel details page under the heading “All Inclusive”. In this case, the hotel details indicate:
- Choice of Spanish and international soft drinks.
- Three alcoholic beverages per person (beer and wine) during lunch and dinner
“We will always encourage customers to read the details of their hotel to make sure they are happy with their purchase.”
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