Booking a holiday to beat the winter blues is one of the most popular New Year activities and, every January thousands of people make plans for a well-deserved break at home and abroad.
Local travel agents offer good advice to help you choose your ideal package holiday, but every year South Ayrshire Council deals with thousands of complaints to Trading Standards, some of which come from people whose dream holiday has turned into a nightmare.
The majority of complaints come from people who have booked holidays themselves via offers on the internet and traumatic experiences range from fraudulent flights to abysmal accommodation.
"It shouldn't have to be like this", says Councillor Peter Convery Portfolio Holder for Trading Standards. "By following a few practical steps the Council can help you find your holiday heaven and avoid a having a holiday hell."
He continued: "The web can be a great place to find your perfect holiday, but booking holidays online is not without risk. All companies selling package holidays must offer protection if they, or the airline you're flying with, go bust to prevent you losing money and help you sort out any practical problems.
"But if you book elements of your holiday separately, such as flights, accommodation or car hire this may not count as a package holiday and might not include the protection a package deal offers."
The popularity of internet deals has also seen consumers becoming the victims of scams perpetrated by bogus holiday companies.
Examples include:
- Fake websites and email offers for holidays or villas that don't exist.
- Websites not providing secure web pages to safely make payments online.
- Lower quality holidays than advertised on the website.
- Lack of legal protection when buying separate elements of a holiday.
Councillor Convery continued: "The Council has put together a dozen top tips so you can relax, knowing you've taken the proper precautions before booking and parting with your cash."
- Take your time & shop around – it's important to take your time with entering your holiday requirements onto a travel website, just as you would when booking face-to-face in a travel agency. Double check all details before entering your payment details.
- Be vigilant – check the track record of any holiday retailer unfamiliar to you. Don't reply to unsolicited bogus emails from retailers you don't recognise. Legitimate companies will never send an information request via a "pop-up" advert. If you don't recognise the sender, don't reply.
- Check for industry accreditation – make sure your holiday company is a member of a recognised travel authority, such as ABTA. ABTA members have to sign up to a strict code of conduct.
- Don't fall for fake competition scams – a common trick by fraudsters is an email or phone call claiming you have won a luxury holiday, but need to pay a small fee to secure it. Remember, if it sounds too good to be true it probably is.
- If renting a private villa – speak to the owner/agent directly via telephone - if the number isn't provided, email and request it. Ask for references from other people who have visited the property and make contact with them directly.
- Do your research – get the full address of your holiday hotel or villa and find it on Google maps – you might also be able to do a virtual tour of the premises! Ask for a full contract, which should set out all the terms and conditions of the rental, deposits, payment terms etc.
- Ensure the website is secure – on any web pages where you are entering personal or financial details, look for the signs that tell you if the site is secure.
Look out for a padlock symbol in the bottom right of the browser window, or for the payment pages to begin with the letters 'https'.
Never transfer money directly into a holiday provider's bank account and always log-out of sites where you have logged-in to register or update your details.
- Keep your purchase records – keep receipts of all online orders. Print off any confirmation pages and emails and keep them in case you are overcharged. Remember, you have extra protection if you pay more than £100 by credit card.
- Monitor your payments – be sure to check your credit card and bank statements carefully once the holiday is booked. Notify the bank as soon as possible if you notice anything is wrong.
- Trust your instincts – five-star holiday at a two-star price? If something doesn't seem right, take additional steps to verify the offer and if still in doubt, avoid.
- Make sure that you are buying a package holiday if that was your intention - if you purchase separate elements even from the same website, you may not have the protection a package holiday offers.
- Stay safe - don't advertise your home to thieves by posting details of your holiday dates on social networking sites.
Councillor Convery concluded: "There's no better feeling than coming home from holiday, tanned, relaxed and fully refreshed thanks to a fantastic break.
"Wherever you go in 2012, I hope you can recharge your batteries safely and securely thanks to the Council's tips and advice."