Travelcare has got the backing of the Institute for Trading Standards in a campaign to get travel companies to be honest about consumer complaints, and says the growth of online bookings has made standards harder to measure.
Travelcare has today published its latest Holiday Report, which monitors consumer complaints in the industry. It found that most operators, including the Big Four were willing to reveal their complaint levels. Some operators including Argo, Crystal, Kuoni and Inghams withheld their complaint figures.
Travelcare general manager, Amanda Williams said: “The industry has consistently shot itself in the foot on this issue. Our independent study shows clearly that tour operators at least are doing an excellent job in meeting customer needs – yet by not being more open and assertive on the issue, the industry as a whole is only adding to the impression being created, particularly in the media, that service is poor.
“The fact is that with the growth of independent travel and the thousands of travel and holiday suppliers offering their services on the internet, it will be even more difficult for holidaymakers to judge service standards – and get complaints resolved.
She said that the growth of independent travel booked online was making it difficult for the industry to decipher whether customers were being satisfied because many holiday complaints were disappearing into an internet “black hole”.
Report by Ginny McGrath
