Principle Information: Read More

Principle Information: Read More

At this time there are many sick, angry and in some cases very frightened holidaymakers, having experienced the worst of a Traditional Package or so-called DIY Package Holiday.  The dignity in the face of such adversity, displayed by holidaymakers suffering with holiday illness, complaints or claims is to be acknowledged and applauded.  This past 3 weeks, our helpline has been inundated with calls for assistance and it is within those stories that we have noted the ‘whispering comments’ about the work of this Organisation.  I would encourage all reading this blog to read our latest posts (Sunday 27/9/09) on Twitter (these can be found @HTWFrank).  The posts highlight the experience of one family suffering with sickness whilst holidaying in Turkey.  Hospitalisation, children confined to their bedroom and the need for baby supplies brought a lack of compassionate response from the tour company’s representatives.  In highlighting this story I have commented upon the issue of mutual respect, not just for the holidaymaker, but also for this Organisation.  There is a need to abandon 20th Century thinking and I hope that the Travel Industry will rise to the challenge(s) that I have set them within the Twitter discussion area! Read More

Just when you thought that it could not get any worse, we hear that within one hotel in Turkey, the staff have a unique way to announce faecal accidents within swimming pools!  We are told by holidaymakers that pools are closed on a daily basis, due to the fact that holidaymakers suffer an ‘accident’ whilst they are in the pool.  When the ‘accident’ is discovered, the ‘entertainment crew’ make an announcement over the tannoy of ‘Code Brown, Code Brown’ – the pool in question is then temporarily closed (there are varying reports as to how long the pool is usually closed and as to what kind of treatment of the water is provided) whilst the offending article is removed!  Read More

Those who have been following the almost daily catalogue of comment on the internet, with regard to Holiday Village in Sarigerme and Holiday Complaints, may have noticed that we have now written two open letters to the Ambassador, His Excellency, Mr Mehmet Yigit Alpogan.  Those following that correspondence will note that upon publication of the second open letter, the matter was eventually forwarded to the ‘Go To Turkey’ Organisation.  However, those following that post will have noticed that the letters never reached the Ambassador and we were advised that ‘process’ must take place and that we should ‘bear’ with them as ‘the process does take a while’! Read More

HolidayTravelWatch has noted that one Travel Industry newspaper, Travel Weekly, has reported our call to the Turkish Ambassador, to bring to the attention of the Turkish Health Authorities, the growing number of complaints concerning The Holiday Village (formerly The Pegasus Palace & The Pegasus Tropical) in Sarigerme in Turkey. Read More

Since the beginning of 2009, HolidayTravelWatch has received complaints from a number of holidaymakers returning from Egypt.  Many report that they are suffering with serious illnesses and we have noted that we have entered sixteen (16) such hotels/river boats onto our ‘Call to Arms’ feature, which helps holidaymakers find others who have had similar experiences to themselves.  Indeed, in 2008, so concerned were we, we asked the question, ‘Is Egypt the new Dominican Republic for Holiday Illness?’  Are the same issues relevant in 2009? Read More