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TUI Sickness Warnings

Watchdog has heard from some TUI UK customers who, while holidaying at the all-inclusive Platinum-rated Turkish hotel Royal Seginus, contracted bacterial infections. We have also learned that TUI UK knew there were issues with hygiene and ill health prior to their stay.

Jayne & Ricki travelled to the Royal Seginus Hotel in August 2023 for an 11 day stay. However on the fifth day of their holiday their 9 year old daughter, Miley, started complaining of stomach pains, diarrhoea and sickness. On the fourth day of her illness, they sought advice from the hotel doctor who immediately had her transferred to hospital in Antalya. Ricki told us that the doctor stated it was a bacterial infection, picked up from either food, seawater or the hotel pool. Jayne witnessed first hand issues of bad hygiene at the hotel, for example she filmed a member of staff fishing faeces out of the pool and putting it in nearby bush.

Now, of course outbreaks of sickness do occur in hotels, but Watchdog is aware of a substantial number of online complaints and negative reviews concerning ill-health and hygiene at the Royal Seginus Hotel. These reviews, pre-date Jayne & Ricki’s trip

Tui customer Sarah had also seen the bad reports online 2 weeks before she was due to stay at the Royal Seginus Hotel. She contacted TUI but was informed that, as the phone call was within 28 days of her holiday, there was nothing they could do. Faced with losing their holiday Sarah and her family, decided to carry on with their booking in August 2023. Within days of arriving, her 9 month old daughter Nellie became ill with a severe rash. Sarah states that the paediatric department in A&E said that she'd had a bacterial reaction from the pool. Sarah also confirms that Tui’s response was to offer £235 compensation.

Watchdog is also aware of email correspondence between another TUI UK customer and TUI UK, sent over a month before Jayne, Ricki and Sarah’s holidays. They were so worried about poor online reviews they contacted TUI for advice. TUI wrote: “…there does appear to be an outbreak at the moment at the hotel but it’s not at a high level for it to start impacting holidays at present.”

Watchdog is also aware of some customers who are planning to take legal action against TUI for their distress.

Travel expert Simon Calder told us that a tour operator has an absolute duty of care to look after its customers, which is why the Package Travel Regulations were invented. Unfortunately, a customer has zero rights if the travel company is confident it can deliver a safe and enjoyable holiday. It's only once the holiday has begun that that a traveller has any rights at all. Furthermore, holiday companies may take the view that if there is a problem with the resort, they will ensure the problem is rectified by the time their traveller arrives and therefore is not obligated to let them know in advance.

A TUI UK spokesperson told Watchdog:

“We are aware of a small number of cases of illness at Royal Seginus in Turkey. As this is now a legal matter it would not be appropriate for us to provide comment on these cases.”

Watchdog also made several attempts to contact the Management of the Royal Seginus Hotel, but at the time of writing had not received a response.