London: The survey of European holidaymakers found that 51 percent of Germans and 46 percent of Britons associate Germans with getting up early to claim a sunlounger.
The perception is far less common elsewhere in Europe, with only 5 percent to 17 percent of respondents in other countries sharing the stereotype. The findings showed a different picture when holidaymakers were asked about personal behaviour.
The figure rose to 45 percent among both Italian and French holidaymakers. Britons recorded the lowest level at 33 percent. Among people staying at locations with pools and sunloungers, 38 percent of German respondents said a towel had been used to reserve a lounger.
Despite the practice being widespread, most respondents viewed it negatively. Between 60 percent and 82 percent of people across the countries surveyed considered reserving a sunlounger unacceptable.
Italy has also faced a separate problem involving beach umbrellas. Some beachgoers labelles ‘furbetti dell’ombrellone’, a term used for people who leave umbrellas on free-access beaches overnight to reserve prime locations by the sea.
The practice becomes a growing concern on free beaches, while private concessions cover much of Italy’s coastline during summer. Rising prices at these concessions also encourages more Italians to use free-access beaches.
Coastal authorities have included the so-called umbrella cheats in national beach and lake safety operations. In late July, authorities in a Naples suburb seized 40 items during a dawn operation at a popular free beach. The items included umbrellas, loungers and deckchairs.
The survey therefore paints a more complicated picture than the familiar German sunlounger stereotype. While many Germans and Britons associate the behaviour with German holidaymakers, Italian and French respondents have reported higher rates of towel-based reservations.
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