Offering trips, holidays, and timeshares

Do you offer travel services such as package trips, holidays, immovable property in part-time use (timeshare), or memberships for holiday clubs? You must make clear exactly what is included in the offer and what the price is.

Inform clients about trips

If you offer trips and holidays, for example as a travel agency, you must inform your clients (in Dutch) about what you are selling exactly and at what price. Make sure that, for example, the following details are clear:

• for how many persons the stated price is
• what is included in the price
• the advertised price of an offer must be the price for which the client can book
• additional costs of which you know the amount must be included in the price (such as surcharges and administration costs)
• additional costs of which you do not yet know the amount must be announced
• the payment costs are included in the price

Package travel

A package trip is a package with at least 2 travel services such as transport, hotel, or rental car. A package trip lasts at least 24 hours or has at least 1 overnight stay. You enter into 1 agreement with the customer. 

If you sell a package trip you have to:

• take guarantee measures in case you go bankrupt, for example a travel guarantee fund 
• draw up a travel agreement. In this agreement you describe what is included in the trip and what happens in case of changes or cancellation.
• make sure the package trip goes according to the agreement and what the customer can expect

Rules for linked travel arrangements (LTA)

Do you sell linked travel services, for instance an airline ticket and a hotel? This is called a linked travel arrangement (LTA). An LTA is not the same as a package trip, as the travel services are bought and paid for separately. So you enter into multiple agreements with the customer. Therefore, the rules for an LTA are different from those for a package trip. You must make clear to your clients that they have an LTA. If you fail to do so the rules for package trips apply and you may be liable for all parts of the travel arrangement.

Individual sales of airline tickets and accommodations

If you sell airline tickets or accommodations via telephone or internet, you must comply with with the rules for telesales and online sales.

If you offer individual airline tickets for flights departing from EU airports, you have to comply with the rules from the European Regulation for the operation of air services in the EU, such as:

• The total price of the ticket - including all compulsory elements such as taxes, levies, and surcharges - must at all times be indicated. You must specify all these costs.
• Any extra options, for example for cancellation insurance, travel insurance, or extra luggage, may be suggested on an opt-in basis only.

Long-term holiday contract (timeshare holidays and holiday clubs)

Do you sell a long-term holiday contract (more than 1 year)? For example, with which a customer can:

• stay for a period each year in an accommodation (for example a holiday home) within the EU (timeshare)
• book an accommodation within the EU on a discount (holiday clubs or hotel cards)

If you do so, you must among others:

• inform your client of their rights and what is included in the price before you conclude an agreement
• have them sign the standard information form and the standard withdrawal form from the European directive on timeshare and long-term holiday products
• observe a withdrawal (cancellation) period of 14 days and not ask an advance payment during this period