Revised EU Pack Travel Regulation implementation consultation
Your assistance is required. The Department for Business, Energy and Industry Strategy (BEIS) is consulting on its proposals for the UK wide introduction of the revised EU package travel regulation which will be enacted in early 2018 and then implemented by 1 July 2018. The consultation document which can be accessed here states: “The UK Government recognises that there is a need to introduce stronger consumer protection to address this gap (new technologies and booking methods) and it is important that we implement changes irrespective of our exit from the European Union. New regulations will extend protection beyond traditional package holidays to give clear protection to UK travellers who book other forms of combined travel”.
The Tourism Alliance of which British Destinations are members is supportive of providing consumers with increased clarity and protection when purchasing travel packages. However, there is a perceived issue regarding the detrimental impact the travel package regulations have on small and micro domestic businesses wanting to work together to provide “added-value products” to customers. For these purposes added-value products are ones that do not include travel. Examples would include paying to stay at a B&B and receiving inclusive tickets to the nearby National Trust property or paying a single price to stay at a country hotel which includes a round of golf at the local course.
In order to progress these arguments with BEIS the Tourism Alliance is seeking evidence from those businesses that may be affected by current regulation or which may benefit from offering added-value products should the regulations be framed to easily allow it without potentially onerous requirements attached.
Please consider circulating the following Tourism Alliance survey to your local business networks (distribution and responses ASAP). The survey includes a brief explanation of its purpose: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/RJGLGHP
Larger businesses and destination management interests may wish to comment on the main consultation, either directly or via British Destinations. We in turn will comment to the Tourism Alliance and/or directly dependent on the comment received. The deadline for comment to BEIS is 25 September 2017 and therefore at least one week earlier to us.
British Destinations 