Brits Abroad

The reputation for Britons on holiday abroad is getting worse and wider spread every year. The British used to have a reputation of having a stiff upper lip, impeccable manners and drinking tea; however, the monarchy no longer represents the behaviour of our nation.

One of the latest reports is of our antics in the resort of Malia, on the Greek Island of Crete. Although locals survive off the tourist trade, they are becoming exasperated with the constant crude behaviour. From brawling in the street to urinating in public, having sex out in the open – on the beach and in night clubs, drinking so much that they vomit, shouting, swearing and generally being abusive – the local residents have just about had enough. One doctor in Malia stated that the promiscuity is leading to 100 British girls coming in every day to obtain the morning after pill.

Holidays like this are sold to the 18-30s age group as a wild party location by tour operators; tourists are then lured into bars and clubs on the main strip with the promise of cheap booze. Cocktails are often sold in ‘fishbowls’, and as a result a huge amount is consumed every night. In the hot weather, tourists go out wearing next to nothing so it’s not uncommon to see a girl dancing on the bar in a bikini and high heels.

The first location that became infamous for Brit’s lewd behaviour was Ibiza; the pull of night clubs with world famous djs and thousands of other revellers created a frenzy amongst tourists that lead to the aforementioned indecency. Since then, Falaraki and Magaluf have earned the same reputation, with Zante and Tenerife on their tail. This is unfortunate because there are still beautiful, tranquil areas of the islands with long beaches and local culture – however our culture is tainting people’s perceptions of these locations.

British men used to be satisfied with the company of a beautiful blonde escort and a bottle of wine, but now it would seem that the limits are being pushed to experience something louder, messier and dirtier. Of course, we can’t generalise; many of UK’s residents are still highly civilised. But even the most well mannered of people can get out of control when on holiday. Wanting to let your hair down and have a few cocktails can lead to all manner of things, it would seem…