Do you sell package holidays? You have to draw up a travel agreement with your customer. You have to abide with the terms and conditions as written in the agreement.
Package trips are holidays that include at least 2 travel services such as hotels, transport or rental cars. A package tour lasts at least 24 hours or includes 1 night.
Drawing up a travel agreement
You have to write down what terms you and your client have agreed on. A travel agreement can include the following:
- travel destination, travel times, dates, accomodation, and meals and excursions that are included
- price, including taxes, surcharges and any other costs (if you are unsure about certain costs, you still have to mention them and what the customer can expect to pay)
- payment schemes, for example how much the customer should pay upfront
- general information about passports and visa
- information about insurances, for instance for illness or accidents
- general terms and conditions, for example information on complaints procedures
You should give your customer a (paper) copy or confirmation of the travel agreement.
Changing a travel agreement
Do you or your customer want to change the travel agreement? The following rules apply:
- If your customer wants to change the agreement, you may refuse. If you do accept, you may ask the customer to bear the associated costs.
- If you want to make radical changes (for example travelling 2 days later than agreed), your customer does not have to simply accept these. Your customers may be entitled to a refund of the travel costs and to compensation.
- If you want to make a minor change, your customer may reject it. They can only do so if this causes them inconvenience. For example, if they miss an excursion because of a change in departure time.
Cancelling a travel agreement
Your customer may cancel the travel agreement before their holiday starts. You can deduct any cancellation costs from the sum you refund. If the holiday destination has been labelled as unsafe (in Dutch), your customer does not have to pay cancellation fees.
You are only allowed to cancel a trip under exceptional circumstances. For example, if a natural disaster occurs or if not enough people have signed up for the trip. You have to offer your customer a similar trip or pay them back within 14 days. In certain cases, your customer may be entitled to compensation.
Complaints
If you and your customer have a dispute and you are unable to resolve it, your customer can submit a complaint to the Travel Industry Disputes Committee (Geschillencommissie Reizen). For this, you must be affiliated with the Dutch Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators (Algemene Nederlandse Vereniging van Reisondernemingen, ANVR) or registered with the Disputes Committee. The Travel Industry Disputes Committee is affiliated with the Dutch Foundation for Consumer Complaints Boards (De Geschillencommissie).
