Travellers booking package holidays will enjoy stronger consumer rights, thanks to new EU rules that come in to force from this Sunday, the 1st of July.
The new rules will ensure that not only will traditional package holidays be covered, but they will also protect consumers who book other forms of combined travel.
These include self-customised packages, where the traveller chooses different elements from a single point of sale online or offline.
The European Commission said that they will also provide protection for “linked travel arrangements,” when the traveller purchases travel services at one point of sale, but through separate booking processes, or, after having booked one travel service on one website, is invited to book another service on a different website.
Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality Vera Jourová, said, “booking your holidays online is easy, but if something goes wrong you want to be sure to be fully protected.”
“The rules are now adapted to the digital age and the new ways of booking holidays. Travellers will also benefit from new rights and be well protected in case the operator goes bankrupt, and will also make it easier for travel businesses to offer their services cross-border.”
“Consumers will benefit even more with, for instance: stronger cancellation rights, money-back and repatriation in case of bankruptcy or accommodation if the return journey cannot be carried out,” said Commissioner Jourová.