Holiday makers who book their breaks online will now have more protection if something goes wrong, after the Government announced new rights for consumers.
Burton MP Andrew Griffiths in his role as Small Business Minister has been involved in getting the new rights in place and had welcomed the move.
The Package Travel Regulations ensure customers who book package holidays through travel websites enjoy the same rights as they would if they booked through a travel agent.
The changes are expected to protect another 10 million package holidays-goers every year and save consumers tens of millions of pounds in the process.
Previously, package holiday protection only extended to holidays bought in one go, but from this month, July, the law will also cover custom built holidays.
This means customers who book flights and hotels separately will now get the same protection as they would have if they had bought a package deal.
Tory MP Mr Griffiths said: "Britain is a nation of travellers and we each put aside around £23.10 per week to go towards package holidays.
"Given that commitment, when we are booking holidays, it is reasonable for all of us to expect that if something goes wrong we are protected financially.
"The measures that have come into effect will ensure holidaymakers are properly compensated if things do go wrong, removing the risks for consumers and building on our long, proud history of high standards when it comes to travel protections."
The protection covers most things that could possibly go wrong as sun-lovers go on their jollies, from hotels not being up to scratch or even an ash cloud hitting flights, preventing them from travelling.
Under the new regulations, the provider who sold the holiday is responsible for looking after customers, whether that is by fixing the problem or issuing compensation.
The new regulations were introduced by the Government from this month.
Government statistics reveal that 83 per cent of Brits booked a holiday online last year, compared to 76 per cent in 2016.
According to ABTA, the travel association for travel agents and tour operators, changes to how customers book holidays, such as using online sites, have created a gap in consumer protections, with 50 per cent not currently financially protected if a company fails.
Shoppers will still need to book with the same provider, such as Expedia or Lastminute.com, to enjoy the full package holiday protection.
Not all holiday bookings will be covered by the new protections, as some websites use a third party to provide either the flight or hotel element of the booking.
In these instances, the holiday will only be covered by what is known as 'linked travel arrangements', which only protects against the company going bust.
Editor of Which? Travel, Rory Boland, said: "Package holiday regulations have finally been dragged out of the dark ages.
"These new rules mean far more holidays will be classed as packages, giving holiday-makers protection when something goes wrong.
"Travel agents should have already been training staff about these new rules so they can accurately communicate what is and isn't covered to customers. We expect the authorities to step in if they don't get it right."
What will change?
In order to address the gaps in protection, the new Government regulations will:
- Ensure people who book holidays through online travel sites enjoy the same rights as those who book with a traditional travel agent.
- Broaden the definition of package holidays to capture modern booking models, such as online and via mobile.
- Require that travel providers and operators provide better information to travellers, making it clear what their rights to a refund are.
- Make online sites which enable consumers to put travel packages together responsible for the entire holiday, even if services are performed by third parties.
