Trading Standards' bogus holiday clubs warning

Trading Standards Service has warned holidaymakers to beware of bogus holiday clubs.

The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment’s Trading Standards Service (TSS) is today taking part in a Europe-wide day of action, at Belfast International Airport, to warn holidaymakers about bogus Spanish holiday clubs that cost tourists millions of pounds every year.

November is a peak time for the club operators to target holidaymakers, as they seek the winter sun in Spain and the Canary Islands. Every year, Northern Ireland consumers are tricked out of thousands of pounds at resorts across Spain such as Malaga, Marbella, Gran Canaria and Tenerife.

The typical technique used is to hand out scratch cards to tourists, all of which are ‘winning’ cards. To collect the prize, holidaymakers are required to attend a prolonged presentation where they may be persuaded to pay large sums of money and sign a contract to join an ‘exclusive’ club. In most cases, consumers are misled as to the price, range and quality of holidays available and usually find they have bought little more than access to an internet booking service which offers the same service they could get at a travel agent free of charge.

Research by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has shown that 78% of bogus holiday club victims are aged between 35 and 64. The average loss per victim is £3,030.

Trading Standards Officer, Damien Doherty, said: “It is important that people are made aware of this issue and we are at Belfast International Airport today to provide information and advice to travellers about the bogus clubs.

“Holidaymakers should think very carefully if approached by a scratch card tout or if they attend a presentation. They should consider if the promises made by the salesman in the contract are reliable, whether the contract can be taken away for consideration or cancelled at a later date and what exactly they are getting for their money.

“If they have concerns, TSS’ advice is to simply walk away.

“Bogus holiday clubs ruin thousands of holidays every year, leaving holidaymakers with large bills for almost worthless holiday club memberships.

“TSS is committed to raising awareness of the tricks used by these scammers and to ensure that action is taken to combat the worst offenders.”

Also taking part in the day of action are the OFT’s Scambusters Team, Trading Standards Officers across Great Britain and staff from the European Consumer Centre in Spain, who will be at the arrivals area of Tenerife South Airport to reinforce the message about bogus holiday clubs to holidaymakers flying in.

Advertisements have been placed in the baggage hall of Belfast International Airport, as well as in the Thomas Cook and FlyBe in-flight magazines which will be seen by thousands of holidaymakers.

If consumers have a complaint regarding holiday clubs or require further advice, they should contact Consumerline on 0845 600 6262 or 028 9025 3900, or alternatively, online at www.consumerline.org.

Notes to Editors:

1. Trading Standards Officers will be at the International Airport on Wednesday 12 November 2008.

2. Trading Standards Officers from Northern Ireland, Derby, Essex, Gateshead, Leicestershire, Manchester, Solihull and West Sussex will be working alongside the OFT Scambusters in Europe-wide day of action to warn holidaymakers about Spanish bogus holiday clubs . Also taking part are Scambusters East of England, London Trading Standards South East and Consumer Direct. Officers from Birmingham, Portsmouth and Walsall trading standards will also be distributing information in their local areas. Officers from Darlington trading standards will be distributing information at Durham Tess Valley Airport (Teeside) on Thursday 13 November.

3. Representatives from enforcement bodies in Norway, Belgium and Cyprus will also be distributing information in their countries as part of a European wide joint day of action.

4. For media enquiries please contact the DETI Press Office, tel 028 9052 9297. Outside office hours please contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.