Latest news with #BritTourists
The Sun
3 days ago
- The Sun
I stayed at a hotel in Spain where the sunlounger dash was so competitive I couldn't get one for a WEEK
A BRIT has revealed how during her week-long holiday in Spain, she was never able to get a sunbed thanks to competitive morning dashes. When recently on holiday in Spain, Adele Gough watched masses of guests gather around the pool gates before 9am. 4 Win one of 8 incredible holidays to the Caribbean, Mexico and Greece by voting in The Sun's Travel Awards - enter to win here As soon as the gates then opened, the crowds of tourists would charge forward and hurl their towels onto sunbeds. The 35-year-old captured the scenes at the four-star GHT Oasis Park Hotel in Lloret de Mar, Spain via video. The hotel cleaner from Great Shefford shared that she thought it was "selfish" and consequently, refused to join the sunbed gate lurkers. However, this meant the Brit didn't get to use a lounger for her entire holiday. She said: "At first I found it all pretty funny and typical of holiday-goers. "It was entertaining to watch. "But I do think it's a bit selfish, as most of the sunbeds just sat there with a towel on them all day." Adele was on holiday celebrating her birthday when she discovered the morning crowds for sunbeds. She explained how the hotel did not have any clear rules about reserving sunbeds, which she believes caused the panicked rush each morning. Inside the Spanish town begging for Brit tourists Not wanting to stress with the crowds or queues, Adele chose to skip each morning frenzy. She added: "There weren't any signs or rules posted anywhere around the hotel so all people could do was wait until the lifeguards opened the gates and then rush in. "I decided not to bother so I didn't end up using the sunbeds at all this holiday." Frantic dashes for sunbeds is not uncommon in Europe, with many other travellers taking to social media with videos of holidaymakers rushing to secure a lounger via any means possible. In June, a man from Ireland shared a video of sunseekers wearing sprint shoes in an attempt to get the first dibs on sunloungers. 4 Aaron Turner and his fiance Shauna Wall were in Spain with their four-year-old daughter when they spotted the bizarre scenes. Aaron said: "The queues would get pretty long. "Once the barriers opened, all the rules went - people were jumping the queue, and some were properly running." He added that there were "definitely enough beds" - though this didn't stop holidaymakers from doing everything they could to be the first to get to the sunbeds. "I thought it was hilarious, I've seen videos of it online before but it was the first time I experienced it myself," he said. "We got a good laugh out of it." Everything you need to know about visiting Spain Brits must have at least three months left on their passport from the day they plan to leave the country. Tourists do not need a visa if visiting for up to 90 days in an 180-day period. Make sure your passport is stamped on entry and exit. Travellers may be asked to show hotel booking confirmations and that they have enough money for their stay at the border. Spain is one hour ahead of the UK. The country uses the euro with around €10 working out to £8.55. Flights to Spain from the UK take between 2-4 hours depending on the destination. In July, a British couple were also left fuming after they received a sunlounger warning on holiday – despite other hoggers being ignored. Plus, Majorca has removed sunbeds and parasols from its top beaches.
The Sun
4 days ago
- The Sun
Desperate world of Vegas tunnels where 2,000 vagrants live in squats powered by car batteries & smoke ‘Black Death' drug
BENEATH the glittering hotels and neon-lit casinos of Las Vegas, miles of pitch-black tunnels reeking of urine, excrement and chemicals hide America's dirty secret. On the surface, a city of capitalism, wealth and greed visited by thousands of Brit tourists every year, where affluent punters gamble away millions before tucking into gold-leaf coated steaks. 22 22 22 22 But away from the slots, super cars and showbiz glamour lies a reality so much darker and more sinister than any visitor could imagine. Welcome to the infamous Vegas tunnels, a subterranean world that thousands call home, but where drug abuse and the threat of death rule supreme. In one of these storm drains, too dark even for a phone torch, lives ex-waitress Fortune, 48, in a tunnel only accessible via a four sq ft hole. Caesar's Palace may be just yards above, but luck is not on Fortune's side as she struggles to survive or even to just stay hydrated as summer temperatures soar above 40 degrees celsius. 'We are a dime a dozen down here,' she says. 'I am not trying to minimise my situation, but America doesn't want the world to see us.' A step towards the light reveals black lesions, scars and wounds that weep over her gaunt, pale face. Hip issues and unemployment led Fortune to become addicted to prescription pills, which then spiralled into homelessness. She tells how her two children, who she raised in the city, failed to rescue her from seven years on the streets. "They know how I live. They don't talk to me anymore.' she says. 'I didn't raise them to be friends with a crazy woman who does drugs in the wash [the name for the tunnels]. 'I'm embarrassed to be here. It f***ing sucks. But I feel safer in these tunnels than anywhere else in this city." Maintaining her sense of humour, she adds: 'It could be worse, I could be insane by now - instead of only half insane.' Behind her a gruff male voice moans: 'Come back and do this s***.' The conversation ends and she heads into the darkness. 'I am a realist. My drugs are waiting,' she says. Subterranean city 22 22 22 Fortune is just one of at least 2,000 people living in the 600 miles of tunnels, while about 8,000 people in total are homeless in the Sin City area. The city's homelessness crisis is already at a 13-year high and the latest census recorded a 20 per cent increase in just a year, with many predicting this will rise further as a result of a rise in the cost of living. Nevada also has the worst unemployment rate in the US - almost six per cent - and a shortage of low income housing, according to Jamie Sorenson, the director of Social Service for Clark County. Many beg on sidewalks, rummage through bins, steal from tourists or grab abandoned booze or food from Strip spots. Police and security often evict these 'desperate souls' within moments of spotting them at work, fearing it will blight tourists' enjoyment in the entertainment capital of the world. For the bathroom there is always a porta-potty on construction sites, gas stations, and local parks are open 24/7. You can pee outside, and go in a bag for anything else Kyle Dressed in clean clothes from a mission charity, Kyle still found living close to casinos to be useful. 'You don't have to go too far to find food, drink, steal, or panhandle near casinos - the shelters and charities hand out food and water," he says. Appliance repairman Kyle, 27, originally from Orange County, California, has been homeless for three years after splitting up with his fiancée. He says: 'For the bathroom there is always a porta-potty on construction sites, gas stations, and local parks are open 24/7. You can pee outside, and go in a bag for anything else.' Smiling, he adds: 'I have no faith in the government in doing anything. 'I prefer it out here because shelters have open sleeping bays which feel more sketchy, as so many of us were crammed together I didn't feel safe.' Makeshift homes 22 22 Throughout the tunnels people collect abandoned furniture, appliances and trash to furnish their homes. Car batteries are wired up to air fryers for cooking, while buckets next to washing up liquid make for a laundry area. Discarded bikes, scooters, shopping carts and wheelchairs, meanwhile, offer transport options. Outside a tunnel near the Aria Casino, a disregarded solar panel connects to a makeshift apartment where it powers lights, a socket for phone charging and even a small electric skillet. Scruffy-haired and sunburned Brandon, 41, admits: 'I have pretty much accepted that I am always going to be on the streets, because I've lived like this since I was eight years old. I have pretty much accepted that I am always going to be on the streets, because I've lived like this since I was eight years old Brandon 'I was married for seven years, and she stayed with me in the tunnels, but we split. " Originally from Riverside, California, Brandon earns cash selling items on the Strip and by being a street entertainer. He even once found fame online for being 'the man who you could kick in the nuts for $20' - but police and casino security teams have now barred him from pavements and casinos. 'I was supporting my wife with that, but they didn't like the attention. We had a business license to do it, but then we lost it,' he adds. 'Now if I try to do that, they are on me quick and make me leave.' Silent suffering 22 22 22 Inside, TT, 31, and friend Knuckles, 36, sit on chairs inside their 'living room'. An upset TT is back in the tunnel for a third time after recently being legally evicted from her apartment over 'some problems'. 'It feels like Hell,' she said, admitting that after spending her youth in foster care there were never any 'lessons how to navigate life'. But one tunnel couple, Crystal and Michael, boast of being 'settled and happy' after dragging all their possessions 75ft inside their tunnel. With a blue pipe by her side, 32-year-old Crystal from South Carolina proudly showed off her private chamber - a mattress dropped alongside piles of clothes, belongings and even a giant stuffed bunny. Meanwhile ex-tourist attraction supervisor Michael, 46, who lost his house because of 'bad financial decisions', believes that 'people living like us don't want no bother'. But like others, he was sceptical of how the government could help. 'They want us off the streets, but don't want to help or pay anything to help us get in homes or get jobs,' he says. Crystal adds: 'F*** the government. They don't want to do s*** for us. If you don't got money they are not interested [sic].' Armed raiders 22 22 A few hundred metres away live former landscape gardeners Tim and Eva Marie, both 49. Living in a makeshift home constructed from tents and plywood, they paint a far darker picture. 'Safety is a big issue,' says Tim. 'Knuckleheads come through here all the time trying to steal stuff with weapons - batons, knives, guns. 'The police do not respond at all. Self-policing is what we have to do... My issue is the drug addicts hitting on my wife, because she is not as tough as she thinks.' Eva agrees, adding: 'It is not easy out here, but we have each other. The police do not respond at all. Self-policing is what we have to do... My issue is the drug addicts hitting on my wife, because she is not as tough as she thinks Tim 'We have some sense of community, but there are people who suffer from mental health issues and can be dangerous. 'We try to keep to ourselves, to stay away from the drama - the fentanyl users, we try to keep those people at arm's lengths.' The use of narcotics among those living underground is a major concern for law enforcement, and signs of drug abuse are rife. Blow torches for cooking crack, meth pipes, and bongs litter the floors, as do butane torches. Lidocaine and antiseptic burn spray canisters strewn showed clear signs of 'huffing" - a wide spread trend where users feel a muscle spasming high from inhaling ethyl chloride, which can be lethal. 22 22 22 Fentanyl, which can cost as little as $5 (£3.70) a pill, has killed at least two dozen homeless in the last few weeks. Other street drugs like meth, heroin and crack cocaine are often laced with deadly synthetic opioids. Nearly 75,000 people in the US died of fentanyl overdoses in 2023 according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), but figures for mixed narcotic deaths are not recorded. According to a police officer we speak to, the dealers - known as 'D men' - offer low prices to encourage higher usage, addiction and "guaranteed repeat customers'. Though the tunnels may seem a world away from the casinos up above, the tactics used are much the same. Cocaine prices start at a couple of dollars, while $10 (£7.50) lands an addict a tenth of a gram of black tar heroin - and stumping up for more can get you freebies. As many as 80 per cent of the homeless are estimated to have addiction issues. Drugs provide an escape for those living in the tunnels, who are often also battling traumas associated with things like domestic violence, prostitution, criminal records, family woes or financial issues. 'Not everybody in tunnels are there because they do drugs,' says Donica Martinez, a case worker for non-profit organisation Shine a Light, which helps people living there. 22 22 22 'It is the majority, but others are there because they got fired, divorced, lost their house, had financial issues or split with family. 'Something like that 80 per cent of Americans are one pay cheque, life disaster or major medical bill away from being homeless.' The 44-year-old is in a better place than others to understand the reality of tunnel life. Just three years ago Donica was addicted to heroin and living underground as a prostitute. Her seven years of homelessness were spent running from her violent pimp and ex-boyfriend, and then ending up in jail without access to her two children. 'People are dropping like flies. Fentanyl is in everything now," she says. 'There was a batch of black tar heroin mixed in fentanyl, which we called 'Black Death' because of the amount of people overdosing. 'You want to numb and get as high as possible to forget about the garbage you've been through.' But the battle to help those in need has been made more difficult due to cuts imposed at state level and by President Trump. He recently signed an executive order to make it easier for cities to remove homeless people from the streets - part of an initiative to "end crime and disorder on America's streets". Charities warned of a bleak outlook, with many expecting their funding to be cut by as much as a third. "The people who have mental health disorders, the people who have substance use disorders, they shouldn't be on the streets, and we need to get them out,' says Dave Marlon of non-profit Vegas Stronger. "If you're, at the same time, cutting the coverage for this and saying, 'Everybody needs to get help,' something's got to give.' 22
The Sun
10-06-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Brits facing summer of chaos as hotel workers to strike every Friday in Tenerife throughout July and August
ENRAGED hotel workers in Tenerife are set to strike every single week of summer - in the latest blow to Brit holidaymakers. Colossal strike action, which will include protests outside major hotel chains, will see Brit tourists facing chaos in July and August. 7 7 7 7 The strikes were proposed by the main tourism union and are expected to hit the Canary Island 's capital, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain. They are set to begin on July 4. Union leader Manuel Fitas of the Grassroots Trade Unionists said the action came as employers were yet to agree on a pay rise for hotel staff. He said the employers had a "stubborn refusal" to discuss salary improvements. Fitas explained that on May 29, they gave employers a fifteen-day deadline to respond to their demand for a 6.5% salary increase before negotiating a new agreement. But employers are yet to come to a new agreement. If confirmed, the nightmare strikes will prove disastrous for thousands of Brit holidaymakers rushing to the popular destination this summer. Planned for every Friday of July and August, the action is set to hit the tourism industry's peak summer season. Brit tourists should expect major disruptions as the unions intend to launch protests right outside the doors of hotels for maximum impact. Each of the scheduled walkouts and protests will be confirmed on June 16 when the dates are locked in place. Anti-tourist mob attacks holidaymakers with water guns as they vow Spain faces 'long hot summer' of protest carnage Despite the threat of the devastating strike, the manager of the local employers' association, Juan Pablo González, said they were "moderately optimistic" of making progress in the talks. Asked if they would be willing to make an exception to avoid a strike, he confirmed that "we limit everything to the table because that is how collective agreements are negotiated". The action comes after similar anti-tourism strikes have unleashed holiday hell for Brits in the Canary Islands. Brits headed to Tenerife over Easter faced nightmarish conditions as hotel and restaurant workers walked out on Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Monday, after last-ditch talks to prevent the protests failed. "The Canary Islands have a limit" movement argues the Canaries' current economic model is "based on touristification, speculation, inequality and infinite growth in a very limited land". According to the Canarian Trade Union Federation, the wealth generated by tourism should be distributed more fairly to improve the labour and wage rights of more than 170,000 tourism workers in the Canaries. 7 7 They also demand fairer distribution of tourism revenue to improve life for Canarians, boosting public services like healthcare, affordable housing and transport to fix the current road collapses. The movement has issued ten key demands, including halting destructive developments, imposing a tourist tax, enforcing a moratorium on new tourist projects, protecting natural areas and stopping sea pollution, among others. On May 18, thousands of fed-up locals flooded the streets of the Canary Islands in Spain 's third wave of protests against overtourism this year. Locals across the Canaries say their home has been turned into a playground for tourists. Demonstrations took place across the Spanish archipelago's islands, including Tenerife, Lanzarote, Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura. Holidaymakers awkwardly watched from the sidelines as the marches progressed through towns. In Santa Cruz alone, Tenerife's capital, around 7,000 people were estimated to be on the streets by Spanish security forces. In Gran Canaria, around 3,000 people were estimated to be present. Misbehaving Brits visiting the Canary Islands have also fuelled a growing sentiment against tourism among workers in Tenerife. Shocking footage showed two brits starting a vicious brawl in Tenerife while a crowd of yobs cheered them on. Viral footage recorded in Playa de las Américas, a popular resort in the holiday hotspot, showed the men throwing jabs at each other before bystanders started to intervene. And last week, dramatic footage also showed two Brit women scrapping in the streets of Tenerife while being leered at. Both fights sparked fury among locals, who complained of the manic Brit behaviour on their streets.
The Sun
08-06-2025
- The Sun
Dark side of Portugal's party resort where 2 Brits died as free booze & public nudity force locals into drastic action
BY day, Albufeira looks like any other enticing coastal resort in Portugal. With its golden beaches, dolphin-watching and pastel-painted apartments, it is little wonder thousands of us flock there every summer. 11 11 11 But by night, the pretty Atlantic escape is fast becoming a wild, unpredictable and boozy bolthole — with two Brit tourist deaths there in the last week alone. The body of a 21-year-old man was discovered at the foot of a set of steps in Albufeira old town last Wednesday. Cops are said to believe that booze is behind the tragedy. The news, which emerged on Saturday, came days after reveller Greg Monks, 38, from Glasgow, was found dead in a ravine in Albufeira. He was there on a stag do and had left the party early to return to his hotel when it is thought he jumped over a wall while drunk, unaware there was a steep drop on the other side. He was missing for a week. The fatalities shine an unwelcome light on the more dangerous and seedier side of the Algarve resort. Once marketed as a family-friendly getaway, now a much younger crew of holidaymakers are descending on the cobbled streets, turning it into a nocturnal party town. And the locals are far from thrilled. 'Crazy, drunken antics' In a desperate attempt to crack down on alcohol-fuelled debauchery, enraged City Hall officials on Friday approved huge new penalties of up to £3,375 for holidaymakers flouting a strict new good behaviour code — with fines for everything from urinating in the street to getting naked. The rules will kick in within weeks, in time for the summer season, aiming to curb anti-social behaviour. And locals hope they will turn the tide, with nakedness, vomiting in the street or having sex in public all now coming at a price. Badly behaved tourists who go starkers in public, or get caught bonking or simulating sex, face paying anything from £1,685 to £3,375. Spitting or urinating in the street will be punished with fines of between £125 and £630. And entering bars and other businesses topless could lead to a £1,250 levy. Bars and cafes which let customers in without the proper dress code will also be fined. During The Sun's investigation into tourist revelry in the town, we saw how cops and medics are already forced to patrol the mile-long strip — nicknamed 'The Chaos' by locals — to keep a firm eye on the crazy, drunken antics of holidaymakers. Little wonder some end up in a terrible state, as girls are plied with free drinks at many pubs in a bid to lure in paying lads, while every bar offers shots from £1.70. Wild drinking games keep Brits coming back season after season. We watched as people were sick in the street, and bar workers had to hand out water to revellers who had taken things too far. Stay here more than one night and you'll see tourists having sex in the street. At one popular bar, hen do revellers were allowed to freepour fruity alcoholic cocktails from atop the bar — but other party animals were not. It was an effort to keep drinkers from overdoing it. Not all venues are so responsible at limiting customers' alcohol intake. Elsewhere, a tourist boozer was hosting a Helmet Challenge — where punters tie on an old tin hat before being whacked with a baseball bat, a spade, gas canister and, finally, an empty keg. Each thwack came with a shot of caramel vodka. Predictably, Alburfeira is fast becoming the go-to spot for young revellers looking for a boozy break. Local taxi driver Guilherme, 25, told The Sun: 'Stay here more than one night and you'll see tourists having sex in the street. "Sometimes it's groups of naked men on balconies. It's shocking.' Furious locals decided to bring in the new code of conduct after a group of British louts got naked on a bar top and proceeded to crawl around in broad daylight last year. 11 Condemning the behaviour, Albufeira mayor Jose Carlos Rolo said: 'It doesn't make sense to have a strategy and spend money on promotion here and abroad, only for incidents like this to happen. They are deeply negative and don't dignify anyone.' He insists he wants to take Albufeira upmarket and win back some of the families said to have been scared off by reports of drink- and drug-fuelled behaviour. And on Friday, Jose warned that 'tourists who fall down drunk aren't needed here', as he said he was seeking a three-pronged approach of 'dissuasive measures', marketing and meetings with British diplomats — plus a call on central government to draft in more police. He explained: 'We want security to be visible. Sending ten police officers to stay at their station isn't going to solve the problem.' 'Won't be tolerated' Ironically, locals are also blaming BENIDORM for the escalation of bad behaviour. They claim that since the Spanish coastal town cracked down on drunker tourism, boozed up pleasure-seekers have been looking for alternative spots to let rip. Yolo Lounge proprietors Rachel and Paul Surphlis operate their business just opposite the new party strip, and are unhappy with the outrageous behaviour now blighting the town. 11 11 Paul, from Newcastle, said: 'We've always had huge tourist numbers, but the behaviour of some is getting a lot worse. "No one wants to see anyone getting naked. What happened with those men was absolutely disgusting. ' Since Spain cracked down on tourism and said they did not want Brits there, Albufeira is now getting that Benidorm crowd. "They want to behave as outrageously as they did in Spain, but it won't be tolerated here.' When bars in this area close at midnight, the party moves a five-minute taxi drive away to the strip in Montechoro, where it continues until 6am. I've not paid for a drink yet, and I've been here since Monday. I'm having an amazing hen. Bride Megan, from Scunthorpe Walking down the mile-long road covered with neon signs, you'll see groups in fancy dress hop from bar to bar, amorous couples snogging in corners and tattoo shops tucked between clubs. Scattered among the scantily clad revellers are riot police dressed in black from head to toe — brought in from capital Lisbon to make sure nothing gets out of hand. And doing laps of the street in pairs are red-coated medics ready to step in should someone find they have drunk too much or taken a tumble. Drugs are also on offer here, if you know who to ask, with a gram of cocaine costing £60. Partying women are able to guzzle booze without spending a penny as bars bid to attract male customers, who will pay full price. Bride Megan, from Scunthorpe, Lincs, said: 'I've not paid for a drink yet, and I've been here since Monday. I'm having an amazing hen.' One British bar owner told us: 'Many of the people in my bar are young girls and my priority is making sure they feel safe. "If people walk around topless during the daytime, that's fine — but it gets to a point in the night when you don't need that. 'Some drunken people will get their trousers off, and there's no excuse for that. I think you can't compromise when it comes to public nudity. "Any of the owners who aren't in support of the rules, to me, are only looking at things from a profit point of view. 'We have a much younger crowd that come here now, compared to when I started here in 2014, and I want them to have a good time and feel safe doing it.' Vice president of the Albufeira Tourism Board, Vitor Vieira, told The Sun that Greg Monk's disappearance and tragic death was a 'very rare thing for us here'. He added: 'We are devastated for his family that what should have been a joyful trip has ended in such a way. 'Our priority is making sure all our tourists are as safe as they can be. 'Everyone is welcome here. 'Some come for the party, others come for a relaxed family holiday.' 11 11 11 11
The Sun
30-05-2025
- General
- The Sun
Brits forced into HUGE queues at Spain airport fearing kids would ‘suffocate' in lines so big planes couldn't disembark
HUNDREDS of Brit tourists have been trapped like cattle in "inhuman" conditions at a Spanish airport - forcing politicians into a crisis meeting. Parents had to lift their children in the air to "stop them suffocating" in the crush at Tenerife airport this week. 5 5 5 Around 500 holidaymakers faced a hellish start to their trips on Monday. Several UK flights arrived in quick succession, and there were just two passport booths staff by four officers on hand to process the hoards. Progress was agonisingly slow - with passengers crammed in line for over two hours before finally getting through. Some were even held on the stuffy plane on the runway for almost an hour while the backlog cleared. Conditions were sweltering inside the airport, with some even branding the nightmare "inhuman". Lourdes Torrecillas, a Tenerife resident returning from Bristol, told local media the situation "claustrophobic" and "third world". She was made to sit on the plane for 45 minutes and said: "Once inside, we couldn't move our arms, we could barely breathe, and people were sweating. "Some parents lifted their children onto their shoulders to stop them from suffocating. There were no toilets, and people were visibly distressed.' The local fumed: 'This was an inhumane wait. These are people who've paid to enjoy a few days of sunshine, they shouldn't be treated like cattle.' Major Brit holiday airport fumigated after infestation of BEDBUGS with passengers & airline staff reporting itchy bites Lourdes slammed the lack of medical care and revealed that the airline did not even provide children with water. She also claimed staff said the airport descends into similar chaos "almost every night". But the exhausted passenger ultimately laid the blame at the feet of the airport operator, AENA, and called on the government to boost the workforce. One of the reasons behind Monday's bedlam was that the airport's automatic check in system could not process children's passports. This led to families with restless kids and piles of luggage stranded in crowds for hours. 5 5 The President of Tenerife's ruling council, Rosa Dávila, called an emergency meeting following the mayhem. She admitted the situation was "unacceptable", but blamed a lack of border staff which she said has been a problem ever since Brexit. Similar chaos has played out at the airport in the past during peak tourism season. Dávila said she had written to mainland politicians but feels abandoned by them. She vented: "There's a serious lack of respect towards Tenerife. "We're managing essential services locally, but without state support, we're being left to fail." What are the passport rules? The Sun's Head of Travel Lisa Minot has explained exactly what Brits need to know. "Travellers used to be able to roll over up to nine unused months from their old passport onto a new one. "But post-Brexit, anyone wanting to travel to the EU can no longer rely on those extra months. "In order to travel to the EU, all passports must be no more than 10 years old on the day you arrive in your European destination. "And you'll need at least three months on your passport on the day you head back to the UK. "Figures have shown up to 100,000 holidaymakers a year face being turned away at airports if their passport is more than 10 years old. "The 10-year rule only applies to countries in the European Union but every country may have different rules on what is accepted - some countries like South Africa, for example, insist you have at least six months left on your passport when you travel and a full clear page." The Tenerife hotel association, Ashotel, has repeatedly warned that these intolerable delays will spoil the island's reputation and deter Brits from coming. Tenerife's Tourism Minister, Lope Afonso, warned: "This is the first impression our visitors get. "After hours on a plane, they're met with long waits and no explanation. "It's not acceptable, and it's hurting our brand as a quality tourist destination." "We need immediate solutions to avoid this happening again, especially with the busy summer season ahead."
