British Holidaymakers to Sue Tour Operator
A tour operator is being sued by hundreds of people who contracted gastroenteritis whilst staying at one of its hotels.
The British holidaymakers had travelled to the four-star resort in the Dominican Republic in summer 2007. Guests reported that the hotel was unhygienic and dirty. Food was left uncovered and did not appear to have been cooked properly.
According to the holidaymakers, there were mice and birds near the dining area and some couples reported an incident where sewage from a leaking pipe overflowed into the swimming pool and the hotel staff failed to decontaminate the water. Others claimed that staff failed to clear up vomit when people started falling ill.
One couple said that the holiday rep tried to deny that there were any problems with the hotel while, at the very same time, a waiter was being sick nearby.
Over 400 holidaymakers have made complaints in preparation for bringing legal action. They allege that unsanitary conditions caused the outbreaks of illness.
Recently, another set of holidaymakers who travelled to the same hotel through another tour operator secured £3.5 million in compensation. It is expected that this claim will cost the tour operator concerned a similar amount.
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Mike
Hamblin
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If you are struck down with illness on a package holiday, you may have a right to claim against the tour operator. It is important to remember that to obtain compensation, you need to provide evidence that the tour operator was at fault and the resort failed to exercise reasonable care to prevent infection. This may be difficult to obtain if you are ill – but in order to be successful, you will need to demonstrate that the tour operator (i.e. the resort they have contracted themselves to) is the source of the sickness and that they are responsible for it.
