A tourist in Spain has denounced a new ‘six drink rule’ introduced on his all-inclusive holiday.
Jason Walker says he feels ‘short changed’ by the new drinking rule at some resorts and has urged fellow sun-seekers to check the fine print when booking package holidays.
The British man felt furious after budgeting for his holiday only to be told on arrival at the hotel that there was a new ‘six drinks’ rule he was unaware of.
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Spanish politicians have outraged Britons abroad by enforcing a new ‘six drinks a day’ rule for all-inclusive holidays at resorts on several islands, including Ibiza and Mallorca, the Record reports.
The new law will largely affect hotels in the Balearic Islands and means tourists will be forced to pay more money if they want more than six drinks in total with their meals.
Jason, 42, said he remained “angry” and “upset” about the restrictions.
He flew on a trip to Mallorca to celebrate his cousin’s birthday earlier this week after paying £240 for the three-night trip with operator Love Holiday.
Jason assumed the all-inclusive stamp on his reservation meant he could eat and drink whatever he wanted.
But, the security guard was stunned when he arrived on the Mediterranean island to find out about the alcohol limit – and now he’s urging others to check the fine print of their contracts.
He said: ‘We only found out when we arrived and only budgeted so much because we thought all our food and drink 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 great time we incurred additional costs as a result.”
Spanish authorities announced the new law in January, but hundreds of Britons were surprised when they arrived on vacation.
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The new rule affects certain resort areas in the Balearic Islands, including Palma, Ibiza and Magaluf.
The regulations now state that “alcoholic beverages will be limited to six per day” in an attempt to curb anti-social behavior on the islands.
There is also believed to be a ban on pub crawls, happy hours and two-for-one drink deals and those who break the rules will face hefty fines.
Jason, from Blackburn in Lancashire, said he understood the government’s attempt to limit rude behaviour.
However, he thinks the rules need to be better advertised.
He said: ‘I understand they are trying to curb alcohol abuse and rowdy behavior but I think it was done in a very underhanded way – I wasn’t told and didn’t know not the law.
“We are also here with family and the all inclusive is great for families as you don’t have to worry about the budget for food and drink.”
Jason wants tour operators to clarify the rules around drinks and how their trips could be affected.
The Briton also believes that resorts affected by the six-drink limit are mislabeled and should not be sold as “all-inclusive”.
He said: “I’ve looked at the fine print and the booze rule 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 of the kind. .
“If you are booking an all inclusive vacation I recommend looking at the fine print and seeing what is actually included and what is not as the rules have changed.”
On social media, other holidaymakers reacted furiously to the new rule.
One Twitter user said: “Britons will now be limited to just six drinks a day, which they can only access alongside their lunch and dinner, giving them a mere three drinks per meal.”
“[That’s] usually referred to as “Half Board Plus”. It’s time to cancel the hotel contracts for the All Inclusive formula.
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 authorities in the Balearic Islands to limit anti-social behavior may confuse British holidaymakers.
“We welcome the recent clarification from the authorities, in particular that the restrictions will only apply to certain limited areas of Mallorca and Ibiza rather than the whole of the Balearic Islands as originally proposed.
“ABTA will continue to engage with the Government of the Balearic Islands, ABTA members and other parties, to encourage clear communication and information exchange, to ensure that holidaymakers traveling to hotels designated areas enjoy a positive customer experience.”
While tour operator Thomas Cook warned customers by email.
The operator said: “Please note that a decree has been issued by the Balearic government on a new restriction for the all-inclusive meal option.
“There is a maximum of six alcoholic drinks per person per day that can be served and these drinks will only be provided during lunch and dinner (3 each).
“Please note that Magaluf, El Arenal, Playa de Palma in Mallorca and Sant Antoni in Ibiza, there is a new restriction on All Inclusive.”
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A spokesperson for LoveHolidays told the Daily Star: “We were sorry to hear that the guest was disappointed with their stay at Aluasun Torrenova Hotel.
“We value all feedback from our customers and are constantly reviewing our processes to provide our customers with the best possible experience. Unfortunately on this occasion the customer did not make contact to raise the issue. As such, we do not have not had the opportunity to address the request to the client.
“A decree issued by the Balearic government limits alcoholic drinks to a maximum of six per person per day for the all-inclusive meal option. Taking this into account, we detail the drinks available to the customer on the details page of the hotel under the heading ‘All Inclusive’, in this case the hotel details specify:
- Selection of Spanish and international soft drinks.
- Three alcoholic drinks per person (beer and wine) during lunch and dinner
“We always urge customers to read their hotel details to ensure they are happy with their purchase.”