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Package Travel

These set out travel organisers’ responsibilities to their customers and the remedies available should there be a breach of the Regulations.

The Regulations define a package as something which: is a pre-arranged combination sold or offered for sale at an inclusive price covering a period of more than twenty-four hours and which includes at least two of the following components: transport, accommodation or other significant tourist services (not ancillary to transport or accommodation).

What is a package? - guidance for travel organisers on how to work out whether they are selling a package holiday, or not, can be found in our guidance note (see Related Documents).

Further details are given in our Fact Sheet and our Question and Answer Guidance.

Hajj and Umrah Pilgrims

If you are thinking of booking a Hajj or Umrah trip you should ensure that you read the important information provided in our leaflet (see Related Documents).

Hajj and Umrah travel organisers

If you are an organiser of trips to the Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages - please read our leaflet setting out your responsibilities under the law (see Related Documents).

Holidays During School Breaks

The holiday market in the UK is very competitive and the industry generally operates on quite thin margins. Like any business, the travel industry must adapt its pricing strategy to prevailing market conditions, including peaks and troughs in demand.

UK school holidays coincide with summer and other breaks across Europe. Demand for flights and accommodation in the popular destinations is consequently very high during this period. This increased competition inevitably results in higher costs for the holiday organisers and higher prices for consumers.

It can be very difficult for consumers to spot a good deal on a family holiday during the school holiday periods. In order to help raise consumer awareness of the deals that are available, the Association of Independent Tour Operators (AITO), has launched a dedicated School Holidays webpage to advertise holiday offers from their members over the school holiday periods.

AITO believe that the school holiday offers advertised on the webpage deliver real added value for consumers. For example, holidays with free child places or early booking discounts. AITO expect the number of offers advertised to increase as the level of business and consumer awareness improves.