The idiot’s guide to staying alive

BRITISH holidaymakers heading out to hotels around the Med have been given some advice by the UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA): don’t get drunk and fall off balconies. 

Sadly, the advice is needed: tour operators say that three British nationals had died and three more were seriously injured after falling or jumping from balconies while on holiday overseas last year. This represents just a fraction of the total number of such incidents. So far in 2016, says the FCO, there have been three balcony falls resulting in serious injury. One of them involved a 34-year-old British holidaymaker who jumped from his hotel balcony into the swimming pool. He is in a critical condition after suffering a serious spinal cord injury.

Many balcony falls involve young people and alcohol. For the last five years, ABTA and the FCO have run campaigns warning of the dangers as well as providing advice and tips on staying safe, including in hotels popular with younger travellers.

Nikki White, ABTA’s director of Destinations and Sustainability, said: ‘As we head into the peak summer season, we are again urging holidaymakers to think about the potential risks of balconies. We see too many people badly injured or much worse because they’ve tried to climb over, jump, or dive from their hotel balcony. A moment of thoughtlessness can have a devastating impact, not just on the holidaymaker themselves, but also on their family and friends. By working with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, ABTA Members and local authorities in resorts, we hope to help holidaymakers use their balconies sensibly and safely, as do millions of hotel guests around the world.’

Will Middleton, FCO consular director for Southern Europe, said: ‘We have already seen a number of very serious injuries caused by balcony falls this summer. We really do urge people to avoid taking risks around balconies, particularly if they have been drinking. A momentary lapse of judgement can lead to a lifetime of consequences.’

ABTA and the FCO have put together the following tips on using balconies safely:

Never lean over, sit, or climb on the balcony wall or railings.

Don’t try to pass items to someone on another balcony.

Don’t climb from one balcony to another.

Never stand on balcony furniture.

Never jump into the pool from your balcony.

Take extra care on balconies after drinking alcohol as your judgement may be affected.

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk

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