The British Ambassador discusses the success of the ‘Stick With Your Mates’ campaign
“Stick With Your Mates” is a public-safety campaign launched by the UK government targeting young people travelling, particularly on holiday to resorts around Europe. This year it focused on Spain and the Balearic Islands, and for the first time, Tenerife.
The British Ambassador to Spain, Sir Alex Ellis, sat down with the editor of the Canarian Weekly to chat about the main points behind the campaign, and the success it has had in raising awareness among young British holidaymakers, particularly those who may be on their first trip abroad with their friends.
Sir Alex explained that the core message is as straightforward as it sounds: “When you’re abroad with friends, stay together, look out for each other, and don’t let anyone become isolated, because many of the serious accidents, emergencies or injuries on holiday tend to happen when someone ends up alone or separated from their group.”
The campaign is framed as a way to help young travellers “have a holiday to remember — not one to forget.”
Why was it launched?
- Research before the campaign found that a vast majority of fatal incidents and hospitalisations among holiday-makers occur when people end up alone, after separating from their friends, for instance, when going back to hotels alone, being lost late at night, or being vulnerable after excessive drinking.
- The campaign originally began in 2019, recognising that many accidents involving young people occur in popular holiday destinations, especially as they go out partying, drink alcohol, or behave impulsively.
- Beyond accidents, the campaign also addresses risks associated with alcohol consumption, drink-spiking, unsafe solo travel at night, and disorientation when in unfamiliar surroundings, common hazards for young travellers abroad.
In short: “Stick With Your Mates is a recognition that many holiday-related tragedies are preventable, by using simple common-sense measures and peer support instead of risk-taking and isolation.”
Advice of the Campaign
The campaign provides a set of practical guidelines for young holiday-makers to follow:
- Stay together — whether you’re going out, arriving at a club or bar, or returning to your accommodation: “mates that party together, leave together.”
- Set up contact and check-ins — e.g. create a group chat via messaging apps so that everyone stays reachable; share location if needed; and agree on a meeting point in case someone gets lost or loses contact.
- Keep accommodation details handy — have the hotel or accommodation address on you, whether in a screenshot or in a wallet-card — especially useful if you’re returning late at night under the influence.
- Watch drinks carefully — avoid leaving drinks unattended, don’t accept drinks from strangers, don’t allow friends who already seem drunk to keep drinking, and intersperse alcoholic drinks with water to stay hydrated and more aware.
- Look out for each other — and don’t let anyone walk home alone — if one friend is unwell or disoriented, make sure they go back with the group; don’t leave them behind.
These are sensible, and intentionally simple, messages designed to reduce risks significantly for youths abroad.
Reach and Implementation — Where It’s Been Used
Although the campaign stems from the UK government, its focus is on popular holiday destinations in Europe .
- Regions frequented by British holiday-makers, such as Spain, including the Balearic and Canary Islands, have adopted or re-run “Stick With Your Mates” campaigns to warn visiting young tourists.
- The campaign forms part of a broader travel-safety initiative by the UK government that tries to combine fun, freedom and responsibility for young travellers abroad.
Thus, “Stick With Your Mates” reflects a collaborative approach to holiday safety with local partners in these destinations, such as radio stations, newspapers, and social media channels, to reach as many of these travellers as possible, not only before they come, but whilst they are here.
Impact and Broader Significance
The importance of “Stick With Your Mates” goes beyond a handful of travel-safety tips. It reflects a shift in how public institutions address the culture of youth travel and partying:
It acknowledges that serious risks on holiday are often not the result of one catastrophic mistake, but a chain of small decisions — isolation, leaving drinks unattended, getting separated — which together increase vulnerability.
For destination regions popular with tourists, the campaign offers a model for balancing nightlife, tourism, and public safety, recognising that holiday environments can be safer if managed responsibly.
In other words, “Stick With Your Mates” contributes to a newer, more holistic vision of safe, responsible travel, one that combines enjoyment, social connection, and care.
A Simple — But Significant — Safety Message
Sir Alex concluded that: “Stick With Your Mates is, at heart, a simple campaign. When you go on holiday with friends, especially young people heading to party-friendly destinations, stay together, watch out for each other, communicate, and be aware of risks. But that simplicity is its strength: rather than heavy-handed rules or scare-mongering, it offers a realistic, peer-based roadmap for safer travel.”
In an era where global youth tourism, nightlife culture, and holiday-linked risks intersect, such campaigns matter. They show how governments can promote balanced messages, combining freedom, fun, social connection and safety, to help young people enjoy their holidays responsibly.
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