Stick Together

In 2018, a number of young tourists died after falling off of balconies in Magaluf, Spain. The tragedies happened over a very short period of time, and in every case, the person was on their own, having been separated from their friends when they fell.

The Safer Tourism Foundation launched a call to young travellers to ‘Stick Together’ and urged travel operators and hospitality businesses, both in the UK and in Mallorca, to address safety issues in problem accommodations.

The campaign included a series of videos, interviewing bar and hospitality workers in Magaluf who had seen first hand how easy it was for travellers to get separated from their friends.

Safer Tourism spoke with Georgia ‘Gio’ Hague and Loni, two Brits who had been living and working in Magaluf and had personal experience of friends losing their lives because of a silly mistake that cost them everything.

Both Loni and Gio urged travellers to stick together, listen to and look out for their friends and remember that no matter how much fun you’re having, you have to remain aware of the risks.

The campaign drew a significant amount of interest from media, with many covering the story and helping to raise awareness. Safer Tourism’s CEO Katherine Atkinson urged UK travel operators to remove the Eden Rock apartment complex from their listings after three young Brits lost their lives falling from unsafe balconies and walkways, calling for immediate safety improvements to be made.

Online, print and broadcast outlets wrote articles to draw attention to this important issue, including the likes of The Independent, The Mirror, The Sun, Travel Weekly and ITV.

The Safer Tourism Foundation has called on the owners of Eden Roc Apartments in Magaluf, Mallorca, to make immediate safety improvements after a third person fell to their death in the complex in the early hours of 12 July.
— The Independent, Joanna Whitehead - 18 July 2018