A German tourist has been awarded nearly €1,000 after being unable to secure sunloungers for his family during a holiday on the Greek island of Kos. The man, who paid over €7,000 for the trip, told Hanover district court that he and his wife and two children were forced to lie on concrete despite his early-morning attempts to find loungers.
The court ruled that the tour operator was liable for the situation, ordering it to pay €986.70 in compensation. The ruling, made last month, highlighted the operator's failure to ensure a reasonable ratio of sunbeds to guests, as well as its inaction against fellow holidaymakers who reserved loungers with towels—a practice known as 'towel blocking'.
The man testified that he woke at dawn each day to search for free loungers, but never succeeded. He complained to hotel staff, but no action was taken against those violating the resort's rules. The court noted that while holidaymakers must accept occasional unavailability, the operator must implement a system to prevent systematic shortages.
Legal experts said the decision was possible due to Germany's strict package travel laws, which hold tour operators responsible for the acts of service providers like hotels. The judge emphasised that guests should not have to resort to removing others' towels, and that operators must prevent such conflicts.
