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Official report encourages drunken British traveler stereotype
While staying with a friend's family in Barcelona last year I was shocked when they told me about the stereotypical British traveler often talked about in Spanish media. "They [British travelers] come down on cheap flights and they don't even make hotel reservations," said my friend's father.
"You mean they sleep on the street?"
"No, they just stay out drinking all night and once morning comes they just take a nap on a bench. No need to pay for a hotel I guess."
He pointed out that obviously not every British traveler behaved in this manner, yet it was unfortunate, because it gave all of them -- even those with hotel reservations -- a bad name. But apparently he wasn't all that wrong. According to the annual "British Behaviour Abroad" report by the Foreign Office, excessive drinking has led to the increase in arrests of Brits traveling abroad. In Spain for example, arrests have gone up by 32% to 2,032 in the period reported.
With a powerful British pound, drinking in other countries doesn't make a huge impact on the average Brit's wallet, so holidays can easily turn into drinking days. In response to the report, the British tabloid the Daily Mail pointed out that "drunken and loutish holidaymakers have sent Britain's reputation abroad plunging to new depths." Again, we should not stereotype -- I have met many Brits while traveling that don't behave in such a manner -- but maybe it's time to consider whether or not to down that last pint. You don't want to get arrested...
Filed under: Arts and Culture, Food and Drink, Europe, United Kingdom
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Mark Aug 13th 2008 12:56AM
They don't have to travel to act like drunken sods. I lived in the UK for 3 years and they behave that way in their homeland.
Maria Victoria Rodriguez Aug 13th 2008 7:47AM
Unfortunately, brit tourists find much unexpensive alcohol here in Spain. You only have to go to any point in Spanish coast this summer to see men and women completely drunk sleeping on benches, beaches and streets. Cheap and short flights + a couple of free days + unexpensive alcohol. Spanish police stantions, hospitals and British consulates here have to solve brit tourists' drinking consequencies every weekend of the year.
Jeremy Aug 13th 2008 8:15AM
Isn't boozing the past time in the UK and Ireland?
Why should it be any different when they travel?
The real issue is their behavior. Drinking responsibly is the key, which none of them apparently do. They start drinking at an early age out of boredom from being stuck on an island.
Andy Oct 23rd 2009 9:11PM
I lived in UK for 10 years, in Newcastle for 5 years. Newcastle is the worst place I have ever seen thanks to the stupid drunk people. It could be a beautiful town but why this people seems not to be able to get drunk and be happy and intelligent? Screaming, dressing in offensive (and really horrible) outfits, vomiting, fighting, pissing everywhere. What do you expect when they go on holiday? The world is looking at you Britain.