Sunloungers have long been a source of consternation for tourists, but one resort in Turkey appears to have taken this to a new level(Image: Getty Images)A holidaymaker who decided not to rent a sunbed was assaulted by a resort worker on the bustling Damlatas Beach in Alanya, part of the popular Antalya region of Turkey.
The altercation erupted at the popular beach destination and was witnessed by numerous holidaymakers. The tourist had been basking in the sun when he enquired about the cost of hiring a sun lounger from a resort staff member.
Finding the rental fee steep, the visitor chose not to use the sunbed and instead placed his belongings directly on the sand. This led to a confrontation when the employee demanded that he remove his items and vacate the area, which quickly escalated into a physical fight.
The incident was captured on video, showing a group of men attacking a man in swimwear who is knocked down and beaten while trying to rise from the sand, reports the Mirror. Onlookers, some reclining on their towels, appeared stunned by the sudden violence.
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Alanya, Turkey is a top destination for sun-seeking tourists(Image: undefined via Getty Images)Following the incident, the sunbed operation was shut down, with Alanya District Governor Fatih Ürkmezer stating that legal and administrative actions were promptly taken following the attack on the tourist.
“Judicial and administrative procedures regarding the attack on a tourist that occurred in a beach business in Alanya in recent days, which does not reflect our city and our understanding of tourism, have been initiated immediately,” he told the press, voicing his concern over the potential negative effects on the region’s tourism caused by the fight and its footage.
“Approaches that are contrary to the understanding of hospitality of both our city and our country will not be tolerated in Alanya, one of the cities where tourism first began in Turkey.”
Following the altercation, business owner Serhan Koçaroğlu released a written statement to the media with his account of the events. He contended that the scuffle took place beyond the confines of his beach establishment and the involved man instigated the conflict.
Mr Koçaroğlu corrected reports by asserting that the individual was a Russian tourist, not British as some reports had indicated.
“A Russian tourist, under the influence of alcohol, threw a sunbed at our Turkish customer sitting in a lodge on our beach. When I went to intervene, I was physically attacked by the tourist in question,” detailed Mr Koçaroğlu.
“The scuffle that broke out when some citizens and Turkish customers on the beach reacted after they saw me being beaten was recorded. There is no footage of the beginning of the incident. Also, it is not legally possible to have security cameras on the beach.”
Mr Koçaroğlu disclosed that he did not report the matter to the authorities to avoid sullying Alanya’s reputation, as reported by Milliyet.
The incident marked the first significant sunbed skirmish to hit the headlines this summer season. Yet with families flocking to swimming pools and beaches across southern Europe in search of sun, it’s likely just the start of such disputes.