A NEW travel warning has been put in place for Canary Island holidaymakers following a number of 'rogue' tour operators. The Professional Association of Tourist Guides (APIT) issued the warning due to a number of concerns over the companies. APIT warned that the pirate companies, which are unregulated, put tourists at risk with unlicensed vehicles.
Dubbed "sardine cans" they are said to violate road laws , and means tourists are not covered in the case of an accident. This is for both guided tours, as well as airport and cruise transfers where they wait for arrivals before offering the trips. APIT President, Natacha López-Braña, said: "They are people who offer their services on Facebook or elsewhere and they say they are guides, but they are not and the tourist is being deceived.
" Read more on Spain "This paints an unacceptable picture for a destination like ours, where untrained individuals feed tourists falsehoods about our island. "What quality do we want to give to the island when anyone comes and can work as a guide? What information is being given?" Mainly an issue in Lanzarote , they warned it is widespread across the islands. Local media website Canarian Weekly said: “Sources in Lanzarote’s tourism sector have said that the problem is not confined to the island.
Most read in News Travel "Similar illegal operations are widespread throughout the Canary Islands, particularly during the high cruise season when ports see a significant influx of visitors." Tourists.
