Warning on web travel deals

Warning on web travel deals

Many cheap travel deals advertised on the net are not all they seem, according to trading standards authorities.

More than 50 UK travel websites - half of all the sites that were checked - were found to be making potentially misleading claims.

Many UK sites were also failing to conform with a raft of consumer protection regulations, the Office of Fair Trading (OFT), the UK's trading watchdog, said.

Last year a similar swoop across internet sites exposed the extent of bogus health claims made on the web.

The holiday claims among those now being further investigated by trading standards offices include:

• 'Hot deals' on a front page which bear no resemblance to the prices of the holiday actually available on the website.

• An advertisement stating 'Australia from £599' when the cheapest price was £891.60.

• An offer of 7 nights in Austria in March for £99, when the cheapest price was £259.

• A claim of 'up to 70% discount off world wide hotel rooms' with no further mention of any savings or discounted deals.

• Special offer of £64 per person per night (pppn) with certain conditions when it couldn't be booked for less than £128 pppn.

Further investigations

More than 100 additional potential breaches of consumer legislation, such as the Package Travel Regulations and Distance Selling Regulations were also identified.

Online shoppers must have the same protection afforded by the high street, and if traders breach fair trading law, the OFT will pursue them

John Vickers, OFT director general

UK-based sites identified as making potentially deceptive, misleading or false claims are now being pursued by local trading standards authorities or the OFT with a view to taking further action.

The OFT and 55 local trading standards offices were among 87 enforcement agencies in 24 countries who surfed the internet looking for potentially misleading claims about travel deals.

Well over a thousand problem sites were identified worldwide.

The sweeps are organised by the International Consumer Protection and Enforcement Network, a network of consumer protection authorities in 31 countries.

"The internet is a valuable and expanding resource for consumers and for business," said John Vickers, the OFT chairman.

"Online shoppers must have the same protection afforded by the high street, and if traders breach fair trading law, the OFT will pursue them."