Many travelers are still unclear about the difference between a travel agent and the agency. They both sell tours, have their branches or websites. The difference, however, is not just the name. "Only a travel agency may organize and sell tours. It is a licensed trade - a state permit is required for business, which is issued by the Ministry for Regional Development of the Czech Republic. The process of obtaining it is not the easiest. On the other hand, the operation of a travel agency is a free trade, " explains Lukáš Zelený, Head of Legal Affairs dTest. It is enough for the entrepreneur to report to the trade office that he wants to do business and can sell, for example, individual tourism services (tickets, tickets, hotels or campsites). Nevertheless, tours must never be organized. Agencies are so mediocre, so they sell tours of travel agencies.
The law protects consumers from the collapse of travel agencies in two ways. On the one hand, everyone will not get a concession - then everyone who is not insured can not organize trips. "The insurance ensures that the customer returns from the place where the failed travel agency has taken it or has received a deposit or paid trip price, if he has not left. The consumer must also be compensated for shortening the trip. Therefore, we should never forget to check if the travel agency actually has insurance against bankruptcy, "said Lukas Zeleny.
Many people think that a contract for a trip without a signature is not valid or not binding. But that's a mistake. You can easily enter the travel contract verbally or more often a few clicks on the internet - and be careful. "Compared to other long-distance services, typically on the phone or on the Internet, the travel contract can not be withdrawn without a reason and penalty within 14 days. Therefore , the contract can be canceled , but it may not be free, " says Green. The pricelist of cancellation is part of the business terms and conditions and depends on the time of the contract and the approaching date of departure.
If you do not sign the contract in writing, the tour organizer must provide at least written confirmation with a number of mandatory details. Of course, the definition of the parties, the trip and the price itself, as well as the mentioned cancellation fees. For clarity and due to frequent complaints, the confirmation must include the accommodation information (category, equipment level, etc.). Sometimes it is enough to refer to the catalog if it is available to the customer. "If you have different things to do when you negotiate a contract with the confirmation data, you can call for more advantageous variants. The traveler must not be mistaken or misleading, " says Green. For more detailed information, including, for example, an air ticket or a voucher for accommodation, the customer must be given at least seven days before the start of the trip.
Source: tz, dTest.cz
