Package travel package holidays and package tours have certain advantages to traveler, especially those on a budget. There are several cost-saving opportunities when you have all your travel needs bundled up in one neat package. However, the lack of regulations when it comes to holiday package contracts raised concerns. With unscrupulous businesses posing as legitimate travel agents offering all kinds of deals, it became necessary to have some standards that holiday package providers have to meet. Understanding the general regulations puts a consumer in an advantageous position when making travel plans. It also establishes the grounds in case of holiday accident claims.
A consumer must know what a standard holiday package should contain. By regulation, an organizer must provide at least two components in a combination. Some of these include transport, accommodation, and other tourist services. The elements included in a package must be sold at an all-inclusive price.
One concern that travelers have with today packages is the DIY factor that some of them come with. For instance, a holiday package may have an alternative of making your own hotel bookings. Per the package travel regulations, even when different accounts are used for the components, the arrangement does not cease to be a package. A package remains “pre-arranged” even when the customer gives specific instructions to alter certain aspects. For instance, just because a consumer changes their itinerary for a day trip that is part of a holiday package does not modify the terms of the contract.
However, if a retailer books different components with separate suppliers and individual contracts, then they may not amount to a travel package. In such an instance, the consumer should have prior knowledge of this because certain regulations may not apply to this type of arrangement.
Providing Information
When getting a travel package, the retailer should ensure that all the relevant information is available in a legible manner. The brochures that customers use to pick their packages should be clear to avoid misunderstandings. It is not uncommon for suppliers and retailers to include misleading information on travel brochures about features such as price, description of the holiday and other conditions. Such information can leave a provider liable for damages. A consumer could file a personal injury compensation if the information provided in a holiday package brochure led to an accident, whether directly or directly. Some of the details that a retailer should provide include:
- Destination
- Total price of holiday
- Transport information
- Accommodation details
- Any email included
- Health requirements
- Passport and visa requirements
- Arrangements in case of delays or cancellations
Package travel regulations consider these details as the terms of the contract, which is why they must be comprehensible.
Insurance
A contract should also include insurance information pertaining to the travel. Insurance coverage during travel is crucial because the traveler has protection in case of cancellations, illnesses, accidents, or repatriation. Having the appropriate insurance would make it less complicated to make holiday accident claims in case something happens during a trip. The contract should stipulate correctly if a particular destination requires a specific type of holiday insurance and where to buy it from.
Contact information
Even with the best arrangements, things can go wrong – flights get delayed or delayed by bad weather, hotels get overbooked or closed down, and businesses get bankrupted. When buying package travel package holiday and package tours, a customer should always get the details of the retailer for some of the circumstances above. Having a telephone number for your agent means that you can call to get assistance in case of skewed plans.
Contracts for holiday packages should be in writing, and both parties should evaluate and agree to each term.