Abta wants to see responsibility for health and safety in resorts placed more on the shoulders of suppliers as it continues to demand a European-wide directive to formalise standards.
Speaking at the start of the two-day Travel Convention in Malta, Nicki White, the association’s head of destination strategy and services, said the issue was a “real focus” for Abta.
This year has seen an unsuccessful attempt by the Greek authorities to prosecute two Thomas Cook reps following the deaths of two British children in Corfu from carbon monoxide poisoning. An appeal is pending.
White said: “The main emphasis for us, we believe, is that the onus should be placed on suppliers. We want a level playing field so wherever customers are travelling across Europe they get the same standards.
“That’s why we are calling for a European directive on tourist accommodation health and safety. It could take 10 years to get a directive in place, but however long it takes we are not going to be put off.”
- More from the Travel Convention at travelweekly.co.uk/tc2010