Company that pressured holidaymakers into faking food sickness claims has its licence revoked

A firm that pressured holidaymakers into faking food sickness claims has had its licence revoked.

Allsure in Preston, Lancashire was found to have advised people to either completely fabricate or exaggerate sickness in claims against hotels.

Getty - Contributor

A firm that pressured holidaymakers into faking food sickness claims has had its licence revoked

Investigators from the Claims Management Regulator (CMR) also showed the firm had used deceptive sales scripts – exaggerating expected pay-outs to entice consumers.

CMR head Kevin Rousell said: "We will take firm action against claims businesses which engage in serious misconduct.

"Seeking to encourage false claims will not be tolerated."

A spokesperson for the Association Of British Travel Agents (ABTA) added: "We hope their investigations will result in similar action against other firms who are doing the same."

The travel industry and the courts have been cracking down on fake sickness claims made by tourists over the summer.

Brits abroad who fake food poisoning on holiday to get compensation have been warned they could face prison.

Alamy

The company was found to have advised people to either completely fabricate or exaggerate tummy bugs in claims against hotels

Abta claims cowboy firms are falsely telling holidaymakers that they won't be prosecuted if theyfalsely claim to be unwell.

They even bombard returning Brits with cold calls and messages on social media asking to submit sickness compensation claims following their holiday.

SO GRUB-BY Fake food poisoning claims by UK holidaymakers are making Britain a laughing stock, says Thomas Cook boss

In the past 18 months, UK holidaymakers submitted almost 4,000 sickness claims.

That compares to just 114 from Germans and 39 Scandinavians.

But penalties for those found to be lying include a fine, criminal record and potential imprisonment either in the UK or in the destination of their holiday.

AFP - Getty

Brits abroad who fake food poisoning on holiday to get compensation have also been warned they could face prison

Tracey Krieger, of north-west London, received calls from cowboy firms after returning from an all-inclusive break in Mexico.

She told the Daily Mail: "It really annoys me that these companies can get away with this, it is dishonest and we will all end up losing out as this will cause holiday prices to rise."

Abta's chief executive Mark Tanzer said: "People tempted to fabricate holiday sickness in order to make a claim should be aware that this is a crime and that they risk ending up in jail either in the UK or abroad."

A government initiative is now planning to wipe out rogue companies encouraging Brits to make fake claims.

Last month it emerged the Ministry of Justice had issued six warnings and got six cowboy websites taken down.

sharm on you Brit has hols food poisoning case against Thomas Cook thrown out after being caught on Facebook bragging about boozy pool parties and luxury yacht trips

'COMP CULTURE' CRACKDOWN Firms who launch bogus holiday cash-for-sickness claims face crackdown

COSTA DEL CON Brit holidaymakers targeted by compo touts who are behind tourists' bogus sickness claims

BUG OFF! Brits making bogus sickness bug claims could face a holiday BAN as travel giant TUI starts blacklist

Source: Company that pressured holidaymakers into faking food sickness claims has its licence revoked

Holidaymakers warned they face PRISON if they fake food poisoning on holiday as part of multi-million pound con against tour operators

BRITS abroad who fake food poisoning on holiday to get compensation now face JAIL as tour operators crack down on the multi-million pound con.

Travel firm Abta claims cowboy firms are telling holidaymakers that they won't be prosecuted if they falsely claim to be unwell.

Getty Images - Getty

Brit holidaymakers are being urged not to submit false claims in bid to get compensation from travel tour operators

They even bombard returning Brits with cold calls and messages on social media asking to submit sickness compensation claims following their holiday.

In the past 18 months, UK holidaymakers submitted almost 4,000 sickness claims.

That compares to just 114 from Germans and 39 Scandinavians.

But penalties for those found to be lying include a fine, criminal record and potential imprisonment either in the UK or in the destination of their holiday.

Tracey Krieger, of north-west London, received calls from cowboy firms after returning from an all-inclusive break in Mexico.

She told the Daily Mail: "It really annoys me that these companies can get away with this, it is dishonest and we will all end up losing out as this will cause holiday prices to rise."

Refer to Source - Alamy

Since spring last year, there have been 15 times more illness claims made to travel firm Tui.

It's after tens of thousands of UK holidaymakers claimed they had got food poisoning while on holiday across the globe.

Abta's chief executive Mark Tanzer said: "Holidaymakers need to understand that making a fraudulent claim will have consequences.

"People tempted to fabricate holiday sickness in order to make a claim should be aware that this is a crime and that they risk ending up in jail either in the UK or abroad."

A government initiative plans to wipe out rogue companies encouraging Brits to make fake claims.

Last month it emerged the Ministry of Justice had issued six warnings and got six cowboy websites taken down.

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Source: Holidaymakers warned they face PRISON if they fake food poisoning on holiday as part of multi-million pound con against tour operators

Food travellers will love Durban

Mavezi's Corner Café in John Milner Road is the new fast food spot behind the gourmet amagwinya. Picture: Zanele Zulu.

Robsons Beer Tour is a must try. Picture: GCINA NDWALANE.

I recently did a Cape Town food vacation in July. My aim for the trip was to sample as much food as I could in the week I was in the Mother City. As a foodie, or at least I like to think I am, I love sampling different cuisines. Sometimes I fall in love with it and eat it till I get tired of it, or I just skip it altogether because it was not prepared well. For any food traveller visiting South Africa, they should definitely make a pit stop to Durban. As a city, she is a melting pot of culture and cuisine.  I can guarantee that you will not leave the city without trying out something uniquely Durban. 

Just last year, CNN boasted about Durban's culinary appeal, rating Durban one of 23 cities around the world to savour street food.Making the list was  Little Gujarat in Dr Goonam (Prince Edward) Street, Afro's Chicken on South Beach, and Johnny's Rotis, or, as it is officially known, Sunrise Chip and Ranch, in Moses Kotane (Sparks) Road, Overport.Street food aside, the uniqueness of Durban food can tantalise even the most fussiest eater and you would want to travel back for its delicacies. Here are some of the food and drink you should try in Durban: Get yourself a curry What's Durban without its curry. From lamb to vegetarian delights to a spicy crab curry, the city aims to please. The Oyster Box has a curry buffet where Kevin Joseph, their in house chef, showcase his culinary skills. There are 10 curries to be sampled, 4 which are vegetarian everyday at the Ocean Terrace for lunch and dinner. For a cost of R390, one also gets a starter and dessert. If that seems to h igh end, there are many Indian eateries, including Orientals at the Workshop mall in Durban central. Grab some Shisanyama Shisanyama's are a great way to interact and indulge in really good meat. If you're lucky, there'll be a couple of salads involved and drinks too. One must go to place in Durban is Max's Lifestyle in Umlazi. They showcase traditional "Kasie" (ethnic township location) culture. Max's Lifestyle started out as just a butchery and shisa nyama in a one room shack near a stream and built in front of former taxi rank in 2002. Other shisanyama places to try in Durban are Mashamplanez Lounge in Chestervllle and One and Only in KwaMashu.  Gourmet Gwinya (vetkoek)Mavezi's Corner Café  in John Milner Road is the new fast food spot behind the gourmet amagwinya. They serve seven different kinds of gourmet amagwinya, including makhanda khanda-gwinya with egg, Frankfurter chips and mince, sunrise gwinya with egg and bacon and burger gwinya with beef burger patty. The vetkoek are also paired with wings, burgers or tripe.  Bunny chowA bunny chow, whether in a bean or lamb curry is a Durban favourite. There are so many bunny chow spots, including Cane Cutters in Glenwood and House of Curries in Florida Road. Beer tourRobson's Real Beer, situated at 72 Albert Terrace near Ushaka Marine World is ideal for travellers wanting to explore South African craft beer. The assortment of beer, including Cherry Beer, Skhokho lager, Miami Weiss, West Coast Ale, Vanilla Gorilla and Hammer of Thor, caters for all palettes.[email protected]  

Source: Food travellers will love Durban

The Rise of the Food Travel Market

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Source: The Rise of the Food Travel Market

Amarillo’s Yellow City Street Food to be on Travel Channel today

A trip along the Mother Road wouldn't be complete without a little street food.

A "Food Paradise" episode will sandwich Yellow City Street Food between onion burgers in Oklahoma City and milkshakes in Albuquerque this Sunday as part of a drive along Route 66.

The episode will air on the Travel Channel at 8 p.m., then again on Monday at 11 a.m. and Sept. 16 at 1 p.m. YCSF chefs cooked dishes such as the French Chick (fried chicken between two slices of French toast) and animal fries (french fries topped with bacon, caramelized onions and a house remoulade) for a camera crew that was in town about five months ago.

For YCSF co-founders Rin and Scott Buchanan, who will host an employees-only watch party at their home on Sunday night, the episode is a precursor of bigger things to come.

"We're excited and a little scared," Rin Buchanan said. "We're talking about hiring more people now because it's going to get a little crazy."

It's not just the summer road trippers pushing north of Route 66. Yellow City Street Food's long-awaited food truck will roll out in the next two to three weeks with the tacos, burgers, sandwiches and Tractor sodas already featured in the main restaurant.

A range of possible locations have been floated, including rotating between the various Amarillo high schools each weekday. The truck will be parked near South Georgia Street and Southwest Sixth Avenue on weekend nights.

The Buchanans originally intended for YCSF to be a food truck, Rin said, but a city ordinance prohibiting cooking in vehicles led them to open in a shack on Southwest 10th Avenue. When told the new head of the Department of Environmental Health was planning to ask the city council to reverse the ordinance, she said meals would likely be made in the truck instead of the restaurant's kitchen.

Kelvin and Ana Urquia were munching a veggie burger and "imposter tacos" filled with crimini mushrooms during lunch on Thursday. They said they eat at YCSF about once a month in part because of the limited vegan options at other Texas Panhandle restaurants.

"I like how they have zucchini and squash, and then I don't even like mushrooms, but I'll eat it all here," Kelvin said.

Sous chef Cole Craven will take over the YCSF kitchen in January when Scott leaves to open Six Car Pub &Brewery in downtown Amarillo.

The brewpub will feature quarterly menus with an ethnic twist (such as Filipino, Italian or Vietnamese) on American pub food. After settling in with beers crafted by Colin Cummings and Grant James over the last several years, Scott said they would start pairing food with brews — say, ales infused with shishito peppers or sake to go with a Japanese menu.

"It's going to be something different, and it'll keep me as the chef interested," Scott Buchanan said. "We get bored really easily, so we want to keep things moving."

How to watch YCSF on Food Paradise:

8-9 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 27

11 a.m.-12 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 28

1-2 p.m. on Sept. 16

All shows on the Travel Channel (Ch. 81 for Suddenlink users)

Source: Amarillo's Yellow City Street Food to be on Travel Channel today

A Food Stylist Spills: How To Make Your Dinner Selfies Look Scrumptious

Everyone's seen--and perhaps even posted--some really bad photos of food. In fact, good smartphone photography of food is becoming more and more of an art. But don't despair. According to Business Insider, there are a few simple things you can do to turn your snap from slop to.."pop!" First, food photographer and stylist Bella Karragiannidis says use your phone's grid setting and exposure slider. This will help you compose a shot properly and keep the food from looking washed out or too dark.

READ MORE SEE LESS

Source: A Food Stylist Spills: How To Make Your Dinner Selfies Look Scrumptious

Venus Williams Loves Museums, Vegan Food and Late Nights

When you are traveling to compete in tournaments, how much free time do you typically have in a destination, and what do you enjoy doing with that time?

Seeing small museums always interests me whenever I have downtime because they feel manageable. In Paris, I enjoyed the Musée de Cluny. It takes an hour to get through the whole museum, and it has cool Roman baths and medieval art. In London, I like the Museum of London, where you can learn about the city's history, but as a tennis player, I never want to be seeing too much of any place where I am for a tournament, because that means I've lost. If you leave the city at the end of a tournament, you may not have seen much, but at least you won or came close to winning. It's nice to like a city and be able to go back and see it properly. I haven't had the chance to do that with any place yet because my work schedule is still intense, but I will down the line.

You've spoken previously about your love of good food, and you are also in New York to participate in a culinary event. What kind of food do you seek out when you're traveling?

I do enjoy good meals and like to call myself a cheating vegan, which means that I'll normally try to seek out something vegan, but may cheat depending on what I'm craving. In trips to Paris and Las Vegas, I really wanted a chili dog and found great vegan chili dogs in both cities. One of my favorite restaurants, Christopher's Kitchen, happens to be near where I live. I love the raw vegetable lasagna and the smoothies. On this trip to New York, I hope to discover some of the city's vegan restaurants.

How do you stay in top physical form to compete when you have to combat jet lag and the other challenges that come with travel?

It takes some discipline, but wherever I am in the world, whether it's China or Austra lia, I hit the gym the day I land and then practice for the match. I also don't sleep during the day and push myself to stay up until 10. Between the travel and my training that day, I'm usually pretty tired by the evening and don't have a hard time falling sleep.

What, for you, makes for a great hotel?

In the past, I've liked staying at boutique hotels with a design element, and I'm still into properties with a focus on design like the New York Edition, where I stayed when I was in the city last time, or the 21c Museum Hotel, where I stayed when I was in Cincinnati. But lately, I've come to appreciate hotels with great service and comfort, and I think that the Four Seasons is a winner for both. I also love the Lotte New York Palace, which has such a classic New York atmosphere. And despite whe re I am staying, I like visiting other hotels in the city and asking to see a room so that I can get a sense of what the property is like. My company, V Starr Interiors, designs hotel spaces so I love to see what other hotels do with their space and aesthetic.

Check-in or carry-on?

Check-in because I have my rackets, and they're too big to bring on board.

When you're not working, where do you like traveling to for vacation?

My favorite vacation destination is Palm Beach Gardens, where I live. People actually come to vacation here, and why wouldn't they? The beaches are fantastic, and I can get in a great beach run or workout. The atmosphere is all vacation.

Continue reading the main story
Source: Venus Williams Loves Museums, Vegan Food and Late Nights

The food people hate the most in each state

If you hate all the same things, it must be true love. Or at least, that's the basis behind the dating app Hater, which matches couples based on mutual dislikes. The idea came from a University of Oklahoma study that found that sharing a hatred for (or a negative attitude toward) the same thing formed an effective bond between people.

Check out The Food People Hate The Most In Each State slideshow.

Unlike Tinder and Bumble, the app has users swipe "love," "hate," or "like" on famous people, activities, and concepts before it uses its algorithm to match users with others who have swiped similarly. A representative from Hater revealed to HuffPost that the app offers over 3,000 topics to swipe on. That's a lot to hate on!

Since the app's launch in February, Hater has been gathering data on what its few hundred thousand users across the United States hate the most, and we wanted to find out what this has revealed in terms of food. At The Daily Meal's request, Hater pulled the top food-related dislikes for every state from their database and it is frankly a fascinating look at America that we haven't seen before. From tuna salad to biting string cheese instead of peeling it, every state has its own unique food quirk. Read on to find out which food people hate the most in each state!

View slideshow

Source: The food people hate the most in each state

Hyatt Centric, Grubhub collaborate on food-delivery program

Hyatt's Hyatt Centric brand and online food ordering service Grubhub are officially partnering on a program that provides guests broader and more curated food-delivery options, marking the expansion of a pilot program that launched last April.

Hyatt will add customized landing pages on each of the hotels' websites to highlight which restaurants offer local delivery via Grubhub and will provide further information about the program on keycard inserts that guests are provided at check in. The program has been expanded to nine U.S. Hyatt Centric hotels from three during the pilot phase, including properties in Chicago, San Francisco, New York, Miami and New Orleans.

Hyatt Centric will integrate its Grubhub options into its Restaurant to Go program that also includes on-site food and beverage options. As part of the Grubhub service, Hyatt will include local recommendations of specific restaurants and dishes that will be hand-picked by the hotels' staff members. Guests will have t he option of having the food delivered to the room by either the delivery person or hotel staff member.

"Based on the successes of the pilot, the decision to expand the relationship will allow for more guests to explore their destinations with added convenience and ease while staying in the middle of the action," said Sandra Cordova Micek, senior vice president of Hyatt global brands.

Hyatt debuted the Hyatt Centric brand in 2015 in its home city of Chicago. Grubhub, which was founded in 2004 and is also based in Chicago, boosted its annual revenue last year by 36% to $493.3 million.

Source: Hyatt Centric, Grubhub collaborate on food-delivery program

How to travel with tomatoes, freeze pesto and other food questions

Cookbook author Jeff Koehler recently joined The Washington Post food staff to answer questions about all things edible. The following are edited excerpts. Recipes whose names are capitalized can be found in the Recipe Finder at washingtonpost.com/recipes.

Q: We're visiting my dad next week; he lives about 400 miles away. I know he would love some tomatoes from my garden. What's the best way to bring them in the car? Would an ice pack be beneficial or detrimental? Any suggestions welcome!

A: The answer depends on how ripe they are. If they're not quite ripe, I'd just keep them at room temperature in the car, in a paper bag. If they're just ripe, I'd think perhaps about a way to carry them in one layer so they don't bruise one another. If they're very ripe/getting soft, I'd pack them in one layer in a cooler with an ice pack to prevent further ripening. – Joe Yonan

Q: I once bought harissa in a little tin from the cheese section at Whole Foods Market. How do you rate that preparation, if you've tried it, compared to home-made or in a tube? I recall the flavor didn't seem complex to me but maybe there was something else at play, like whatever I ate it with.

A: While I can't say I have tasted that exact one, I have used some commercial tins/tubes of harissa that are less dynamic than others. With those, first dolloping some into a bowl and whisk in a bit of olive oil to loosen it up. That's key. Then taste with a piece of bread and begin adjusting to your taste if feel it needs more kick or depth by adding in some spices – caraway, ground coriander seeds, even some cumin. – Jeff Koehler

Q: What is the purpose of oil in marinades? Seems that every recipe I see calls for non-trivial amounts of oil so it must be important for the marinade to work. What role does oil play in marination?

A: I'd say it coats well, carries fat-soluble flavors and helps keep in moisture. – Bonnie Benwick

Q: I have grown the most phenomenal basil plant this year, but I'm on a doctor-prescribed diet that doesn't allow nuts, cheese, or significant amounts of oil. I'd like to make pesto out of my basil, but I'm not sure the best way to preserve it until I'll be able to eat it (about three months from now). Can I freeze it? How?

A: Yes, you can freeze it – just don't add the cheese. (I say this because that's what I've been told, but now that I'm writing this, I'm not sure why you couldn't add a little cheese? I've frozen hard cheese before and it was fine...)

In any case, I usually freeze herbs-blended-with-oil-and-nuts in ice cube trays and then transfer the frozen cubes to a zip-top bag for longer storage. You can then add cheese later, after defrosting. Or serve whatever you're making with cheese grated on top. – Kara Elder

A: I'll weigh in on the cheese thing. You don't really have to leave it out when freezing pesto! –Yonan

Q: I was just gifted 400g of Turkish apricot paste. What do I do with it?

A: Looks like you can chop it up into bits and use like dried apricots, but the paste is very handy for melting into sauces or melting to use as a glaze, as well as cutting into slabs that go into pastries. I have seen little cubes of it served on a cheese platter. –Benwick

Q: We have an unopened 5-pound bag of King Arthur AP flour that's been in the refrigerator since it was purchased and is marked best to use by August 10 ... 2016. Do you think it'll work for banana bread?

A: Yes. The fact that you refrigerated it this whole time means you should be able to count on it being much fresher than had it been at room temperature. I think you could use it for anything, provided it looks fine when you open it. – Yonan

Q: I overbought buttermilk due to what was available at the store. I use it predominately for making pancakes/waffles once per week and (very rarely) for marinating or breading. With these uses in mind, can I freeze it without loss of quality in the final products?

A: You can freeze it, sure. Defrost it overnight in the refrigerator, and then use an immersion (stick) blender or pop it in a blender to re-incorporate the solids/why separation that will most likely occur. – Benwick

Q: I made a really good vegetable lasagna this week and had enough extra to make one for the freezer. My question for you – I put foil down in the glass casserole dish before freezing, but now I'm worried that when I try to defrost and bake it, the foil will become an issue in the bottom of the pan. Any suggestions, or am I overthinking this? (Novice cook here!)

A: I don't see why the foil would be a problem. –Yonan

Source: How to travel with tomatoes, freeze pesto and other food questions

Group of 550 travel from Manhattan to Highland Community College for 2017 Great American Eclipse

MANHATTAN Kan. — Monday morning wasn't the first time Monica Woods' kids have been dragged out of bed to stare at the sky.

Embarking on "Total Solar Eclipse with K-State" tour, Woods, her husband, and their three children were five of about 550 people aboard a group of charter buses bound for Highland Community College in Highland, Kan. to view the 2017 Great American Eclipse.

"We woke them up in the middle of the night to start at the lunar eclipse a few years ago," Woods said, laughing. "They're used to this kind of thing."

Woods said she and some co-workers at Kansas State University were discussing options for viewing the eclipse a few weeks ago when she was introduced to this particular tour. K-State and the Flint Hills Discovery Center partnered together for the event.

Jonathan Mertz, an event organizer at the discovery center, said 371 people of the 550 had registered with the FHDS prior to the event.

"The buses have wifi, so the kids are happy — and we don't have to drive," Woods said. "And even if we don't see the eclipse today, it's going to be a good memory-making experience."

Most travelers were checking their phones from the bus, with weather apps predicting partly sunny skies for the day. However, as the buses traveled outside Manhattan, a short rain shower hit, causing audible concern among passengers.

Buses were expected to arrive on the college campus at about 10:15 a.m. where Chris Sorensen, Cortelyou-Rust distinguished professor of physics at K-State, will give a presentation prior to the eclipse, and guests can relax and wait for the moon to cover the sun.

In Highland, totality is expected to last two minutes and 38 seconds. First contact is at 11:40 a.m. Sorensen said, with totality occurring at about 1:08 p.m.

This story is ongoing and will be updated.

Source: Group of 550 travel from Manhattan to Highland Community College for 2017 Great American Eclipse

Travel: Taipei Eats

Found these photos from over a year ago and realised that I never wrote about my last Taipei trip. I no longer go on the hunt for "best this and that" following the crowds, but instead spend more time in the moment, wandering and discovering instead of checking things off a list.

Here's what I got up to on my second trip to Taipei. Night markets and street food are what people go to Taipei for, and I found that most night markets serve up the same stuff. We didn't go to the tourist traps, but instead met up with Tricky Taipei in her local neighbourhood in Gong Guan.

First off, those steam pork belly buns called "Gua Bao" in Taipei – flavourful but less dense and rich than those I'm used to in Singapore, and they serve it with crushed peanuts. My mum makes them Fujian style with coriander garnish and we call them "Kong Ba Pau" – braised pork belly buns.

We tried  Lan Jia Gua Bao popular with the locals in the area.

We had their daily soup "li tang" and also tried their glutinous rice dumplings. Nothing to write home about, but tasty simple dishes. For bubble tea, there was a crazy long queue across from pork buns stall and apparently a famous spot for bubble tea. I never learnt to enjoy those giant chewy tapioca balls in cups of sweetened cold milk tea.

Other highlights include the signature Taiwanese Lu Rou Fan – a tasty minced pork dish over rice. We didn't go anywhere fancy, just a back alley lane behind the Fabric Market (which is one of my soft spots, I like travelling and checking out textiles native to the country). Ordered some braised pig trotters, fish ball soup and other sides.

High tea at the Mandarin Oriental Taipei is always a lovely idea.

Sticky tofu, one of Taiwan's specialties… It smells awful, but it doesn't taste like how it smells. It tastes just like smokey tofu. But I don't get the hype around it.

Shaved ice desserts are also all the rage in Taiwan. Ice Monster is a popular stop for both locals and tourists. I wrote about them here for Jetstar Asia magazine.

We also gave the neighbourhood dessert carts a go, not my kind of dessert. Yam, beans, jellies, nuts and fruits in a bowl of shaved ice. The locals seem to love it, but I'd have the simple Singapore ice kacang of syrup, evaporated milk and ice any day of these bowls of weird combinations.

Other photos I shot at the market. Someone's lunch?

Glutinous rice under a spotlight.

We also checked out the famous cheese cake at Le Tao and loaded up on local Beef Noodles.

Eating out, Food, taipei, Travel
Source: Travel: Taipei Eats