Consumer Protection in Travel Industry

This assignment delves into consumer protection legislation as it applies to the travel and tourism sector, specifically examining its relevance to the Thomas Cook Group. It explores concepts like misleading activities, false claims, 'Uberrimae Fidei', the Trade Descriptions Act 1968, and the Consumer Protection Act 1987. The assignment highlights penalties for violating these laws and emphasizes the importance of transparency and ethical practices in the travel industry.

3.
TASK 3
3.2 Consumer protection legislation in relation to travel and tourism customers which is in context of Thomas Cook Group
Consumer protection in relation to tourism:
The consumer protection act deals with misleading activities that the consumers are facing. The false statement or misleading statements can be made against
the tour holiday packages or travel agreement and the pricing policy. The consumer protection law is very important because if any rules of the legislations are broken
it will lead to penalties in terms of fine or prison.
The travel and tourism department must ensure that the information they are providing to their customer are true and no false claims are made to the
customers. It is very important for the travel departments to ensure that all the reliable information are passed to the customers are accurate and reliable so that there is
no false fact generated. Example: There may be false statements generated about the prices of the holiday packages. If this is the case than the tour operator is
cheating its customers and breaking the rules of the legislation and thus he can be punished with fine or imprisonment.
 Uberrimae Fidei: It is a Latin word which means utmost good faith. This phase is widely used during insurance contracts which states that the contract of
insurance must act in goof faith. This is done because all the parties which are involved in the insurance can make decisions of the fact and materials listed in
the insurance act. Dealing in good faith can also be used by Thomas cook group by the means that they will provide true information to the customer based on
what they are going to offer in the holiday packages. This will also be helpful in preventing the misleading information.
 Trade description act 1968: The trade description act which came into force from 1968 is an important act for the consumers and people who have suffered
from the false and misleading information. The trade description act impose penalties for the false statement to the customers. Penalties are imposed on the
tour operator or any other industry doing the false task by making them aware that they are cheating their customers by providing them false information. In
travel industry if an tour operation has promised for the accommodation in 5 star hotels and if he back out from his words and he makes arrangement for the
accommodation in 3 star hotel it will be an unfair means of misleading the customers. This will be against the trade description act and the tour operator will
be imposed with penalty.
 Consumer protection act 1987: The consumer protection act of 1987 prohibits misleading prices to the customers. This in context to the travel industry relates
with the facilities and accommodation of the customers according to the prices charged. The way in which prices can be misleading is that the tour operator
charged higher prices for luxurious facilities but in return he dis not fulfil his promised and this leads to breach of the contract and leads to consequences for
the travel department. The fine and the penalties under the consumer protection act will ultimately depend upon the situation of the activity.