‘Sunbed wars’: German tourist wins €900 payout after 6 am towel dash ruined Greek holiday
Euronews.com • • world
Key Points:
- A German tourist won over €900 in compensation after suing his tour operator for allowing guests to reserve sun loungers with towels before sunrise during a 2024 holiday in Kos, Greece.
- The court in Hanover ruled the holiday package was "defective" because the family was unable to use poolside loungers, despite the tour operator being aware of the resort's ban on towel reservations but failing to enforce it.
- The man had paid €7,186 for the holiday and claimed he spent 20 minutes daily searching for sun loungers, while his children had to lie on the floor due to the shortage of available loungers.
- The case highlights ongoing "sunbed wars," a common issue where tourists reserve loungers early to secure spots, leading to viral social media videos and some regions imposing fines or revising policies.
- Courts expect tour operators to ensure a reasonable ratio of sun loungers to guests, even if they do not directly manage the resort facilities.
