Tui customers sue operator over 'holidays from hell' after more than 1,100 guests suffer 'serious gastric illnesses'

Many were hospitalised due to the severity of their symptoms, with some cases involving children as young as three, turning their five-star getaways into "holidays from hell."

All of the 1,107 cases were holidays booked through Tui.

The latest group seeking legal action includes 40 tourists who became ill during or after staying at the Riu Palace Santa Maria in Sal, Cape Verde, this year - of those, 11 were hospitalised.

The hotel has seen the highest number of illness reports, with 396 affected holidaymakers, including 63 in 2024.

Riu Funana follows with 218 cases, 18 of which occurred this year, while Riu Cabo Verde has recorded 192 cases - 56 of them in 2024 - since 2022.

Diane Taylor, 57, an accounts coordinator from Bridge of Don, Aberdeen, fell ill after spending £4,156 for a stay at the Riu Palace Santa Maria in August.

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She was on holiday with her husband John when, five days into their trip, she was hit with severe diarrhoea, body aches, chills, fatigue, and loss of appetite.

The couple voiced concerns about the hotel's standards, suspecting others had fallen ill during their stay as well.

They said they encountered cockroaches in their room, and hotel staff provided bug spray due to their frequent presence.

Taylor also raised concerns about food hygiene and later filed a complaint with Tui.

Jatinder Paul, the international serious injury lawyer at Irwin Mitchell supporting the holidaymakers, said: "Despite all the reports of illness from guests who have stayed at hotels in Cape Verde, it’s staggering to think that three years after the first reports, we’re continuing to see significant numbers coming forward reporting debilitating illness.

"Our clients continue to report alarmingly similar illnesses and are understandably angry at how this state of affairs has been allowed to continue. Cape Verde seems to be a hotspot for these cases and our clients have many questions.

"As the numbers of cases continues to mount, we’re determined to help them secure the answers they deserve. We’d be interested in hearing from other guests who have fallen ill at these hotels in the Cape Verde this year as we investigate whether there is a common source of infection."

GB News has contacted Tui for comment.