When is a Package Tour Not a Package Tour

We often hear of problems associated with package tour holidays and customers' attempts to gain compensation. It is important, therefore, to know what is and what is not a package tour for the purposes of working out who is responsible if things go badly wrong.

 Fortunately, the European Court has recently given a judgment which clarifies matters. The case involved a family seeking compensation after a Club Med holiday was ruined by a wasp infestation.

The court decided that a package tour is one that includes "tourist services", sold at an inclusive price, where two or more out of transport, accommodation or "other services" are included and where these are arranged at the time of the original sale. This would exclude, therefore, a holiday for which the hotel and flights are booked separately.