The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has called on the travel industry to support this year’s campaign to encourage young holidaymakers travelling to choose a #holidaywin for a safer, more enjoyable holiday.
More than 30 UK travel industry partners supported the campaign last year – including ABTA, Thomson Scene and Club 18-30 – and the FCO has called on more to get on board this year.
The FCO claims the “Take Your Pic” social media campaign helped to reduce the number of incidents among 15 to 30-year-olds in nine target resorts from 821 in summer 2014 to 789 in summer 2015, despite an increase in arrivals. Incidents in the resorts – including Ayia Napa, Ibiza, the Greek islands, Magaluf and Sunny Beach – ranged from lost or stolen passports to much more serious cases including sexual assaults, missing persons and deaths.
Paul Rodwell, FCO’s southern Europe regional campaigns manager, said: “Hundreds of young Brits continue to get into difficulty every year so it’s important for us to continue our work to reduce the number of incidents.
“Take Your Pic exceeded expectations last year and the drop in reported incident in participating resorts was very encouraging.
“We want to get more of the UK travel industry involved this year so we can all make sure young Brits have a great and safe holiday.”
What can the FCO do for people who have problems when travelling abroad?
The FCO can:
Issue you with an emergency travel document Provide information about transferring money Provide help if you have suffered rape or serious sexual or physical assault, are a victim of crime or are ill or in hospital Give you a list of local lawyers, interpreters, doctors or funeral directors Contact you if you are detained abroad Contact friends and family at home for you if you wish Provide help in cases of forced marriage Assist people affected by parental child abduction |
The FCO cannot:
Help you enter a country if you do not have a valid passport or necessary visas Give you legal advice or translate documents Investigate crimes or get you out of prison Get you better treatment in hospital or prison than is given to local people (but we will raise concerns if treatment falls below internationally recognised standards) Pay any bills or give you money Make travel arrangements for you |
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