Spain has superb food, a rich cultural identity and a beautiful language. Yet for many British holidaymakers, the moment they land, all of that seems to disappear behind sausage rolls, pints and English-speaking enclaves. The trigger for this latest complaint is Greggs opening a branch at Tenerife South Airport. The British bakery chain's arrival has prompted a familiar question: why do so many Britons travel hundreds of miles abroad, only to recreate a version of the British high street in the sunshine? This habit goes far beyond Spain. Tenerife, Lanzarote, Ibiza, Zante, Malia, Marseille and Amsterdam are all cited as places where British tourists can retreat into familiar surroundings rather than experiencing the local culture. And what gets exported is not always the most flattering side of Britain. For example: binge drinking, bland food and the refusal of many British tourists to learn more than a handful of words in another language. For millions of holidaymakers spending a week in the sun while speaking entirely English, eating oven chips and drinking Guinness remains part of the attraction. That choice is particularly strange when local food, culture and language are often only metres away. Spain, Italy and France are singled out for their food. Even ordinary supermarkets can offer ingredients that are markedly better than what many British travellers are accustomed to at home. Then there are the restaurants. In countries famous for tapas, seafood and other regional dishes, British visitors can still choose familiar meals such as gammon and mash rather than explore what is on offer around them. Holiday strips packed with crazy golf courses and "Irish Pubs" become another target. These enclaves are evidence of British tourists creating their own bubble rather than integrating with their surroundings. Even worse, drunken disturbances and British tourists behaving as though their own culture is superior, are a blot on our nation's image. Greggs' Tenerife expansion is a perfect example of the bubble phenomenon. The chain may technically be entering international territory, but Tenerife South Airport is hardly an unfamiliar market for British travellers. Around 13 million travellers pass through the airport each year, with roughly half travelling to or from the UK. That makes a Greggs outlet a particularly safe commercial bet. That leaves the central question hanging over Britain's overseas holiday culture: if the goal is to eat, drink and speak exactly as you would at home, why make the journey at all? Greggs has made me ashamed to be British
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