New legislation will curb binge drinking holidays

Fact is that countries with less developed alcohol culture have difficulties housing Danish tourists - mostly youth tourists - who have been educated in partying by reality series like "Paradise Hotel" and "The Kings". Our parliament has been concerned by the lack of responsibility from Travel Agencies, foreign Hotels and authorities who by use of aggressive marketing has sold various destinations as the perfect destination for a binge drinking holiday.

The new marketing laws will ban use of photos with partying or happy youth if the expected target group is below 18 because smiles and joy is considered equal binge drinking.

The cost of these changes in legislation will be loss of estimated 500-1,000 jobs within the travel industry, but if Denmark keeps 10,000 youth from leaving the country for an entire week jobs is expected to be created in other businesses. Secondly the risk of ethnical polluting will also be lowered. Ethnical polluting has caused a rise in crime in Denmark for the last 20-30 years so the outcome of the laws could be positive.

For some of the travel destinations youths have used the laws means that re-branding is necessary. Countries like Bulgaria and the Czech Republic which have sold themselves as binge drinking destinations will lose their business entirely and will have to start over with their marketing.

The laws brings Denmark a unique chance for our country to raise a generation who are less influences by foreign cultures leaving them to be influenced by our superior culture only. While 10,000 students will lose out of traveling abroad starting year 2014 the long-term consequences look bright.

Sources:

• Nyt lovforslag om skærpelse af forbuddet mod alkoholrelateret markedsføring rettet mod børn og unge under 18 år (In Danish)
• Kongerne af Marielyst (In Danish)
• Paradise Hotel - Wikipedia (In Danish)

Bulgaria wants back to the good old communist rule

According to various sources in the tourist industry the citizen in the parts of Bulgaria serving the tourism industry had expressed wishes about returning to the good old days when the country was under communist rule and become an isolated state.

Fact is that Bulgaria has beaten Ibiza as one of the most popular vacation places in Europe.

There is no reason at all to visit Bulgaria unless you will attend a binge drinking party. This country has nothing else to offer.

But it is not all.

Tourists who are so unlucky that they get ill during their holiday should be very careful as there are doctors and entire hospitals down there which will try to fool the patients to buy extra treatment not covered by the normal travel insurance.

That is worrying because Bulgaria has been targeted by students who want peace and quietness while they study for their finals. Various travel agencies are arranging holiday packets targeted against young students.

I would be very careful and not chose Bulgaria for my next holiday. If you have your health as a high priority, I guess you will avoid Bulgaria as well.

Sources (In Danish)

• Bulgarske hoteller vil af med danske druk-turister, by Anne Louise Leth, Politiken, August 31, 2011


• Bulgarske læger trækker danske turister i retten, by Anne Louise Leth, Politiken, July 8, 2011