Many people are now booking their holidays online and there are still many who implicitly trust travel agents only. There is no right way as both are very viable. However, no matter which way you choose to organise your travels, you need to protect yourself from people who don’t do the right thing – and this is both online and with some travel agents and companies.
You need to make sure that you do have peace of mind that your back is covered should something go wrong … and let’s be realistic, it sometimes does. We book the majority of our holidays online with companies that we have checked out. When we have tricky flights, it has sometimes been within our best interests to get a travel agent to co-ordinate this. We have checked our travel agent out thoroughly, as we do when we book online with different companies – as this is part of our rights as consumers, not to be ripped off. However, things have now changed and it is more important than ever for us as Australians, to be cautious as the Australian Travel Industry is now deregulated!
Even if you don’t live in Australia, these following tips are universal. A government advertising campaign has been launched by Australia’s consumer protection agencies called the Pack Some Peace of Mind campaign, and offers very good advice on how to protect yourself.
What does this mean to all of us who travel?
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Travel agents in Australia no longer have to be licensed nor be a member of the Travel Compensation Fund, which once protected you if they went bust. Now, they can and should be voluntary members of the ATAS, the Australian Federation of Travel Agents. This organization aims to show that travel agents are professional and respectable. However, you will need to check this – as not all are. As a traveler – whether you book online or with a travel agent, YOU need to know how to protect yourself.
As an aside, we asked our travel agent straight out, whether the company she works for is a voluntary member of ATAS and asked to see the accreditation. We pay mega bucks travelling from Australia to anywhere in reality, and there is no way we are going to lose this money to someone who is not prepared to join the ATAS. If she had not been a member, we would have walked out the door and never returned. However, that is just one part of how we all need to protect ourselves.
What is the Pack Some Peace of Mind campaign?
The Pack Some Peace of Mind demonstrates that we are all still protected by the Australian Consumer Law. This means when you are buying travel products and services, whether booking online or using travel agents; you still have some protection. Don’t assume because a travel agency or an online site has all of the bells and whistles that you are safe. Yes, many are totally legitimate but ..it pays to be safe.
What are the key points for us all to know
THINK FOR FIVE to pack some peace of mind
The top five tips to protect the money you spend booking travel this holiday season.
1. If it sounds too good to be true, it is: Do your homework to ensure you’re using a reputable supplier. Talk to friends and family about their experiences and look for traveller reviews online through independent websites and social media
2. Book through an accredited supplier: If using a travel agent, find out if they are ATAS accredited through the Australian Federation of Travel Agents, or look for other forms of accreditation.
3. The way you pay matters: When booking online, use secure payment methods such as PayPal or use your credit card – you may be eligible for a chargeback if you don’t get what you pay for.
4. Use secure websites: Always check that the website is secure before handing over your details online. Look for basic security features, such as a padlock symbol and a website address starting with ‘https://’ on the payment page.
5. Travel insurance: Strongly consider comprehensive travel insurance and ensure you check for circumstances and activities that are not covered by the policies.
Let’s play a game and have a chance to win a $500 travel voucher at the same time
There is an easy and fun way to help you to learn how to protect yourself. We would rather learn this way than the hard way of losing our money to some unscrupulous trader.
‘Pack Some Peace of Mind’ is a game that operates as an app on a Facebook page. The educational game asks you to pack some peace of mind by giving you tips to protect your purchase as you go through the booking process. It is fun, informative and well worth going through some decision-making processes and seeing just how well you do protect yourself.
Pack some peace of mind – Let’s plan a holiday!
For more handy tips from Australia’s consumer protection agencies head to www.packsomepeaceofmind.gov.au
To have a happy and well protected holiday, these are universally great tips.
