The European Union has reached agreement on modernising the Package Travel Directive, closing gaps exposed during the pandemic and recent travel-agency bankruptcies.
Legal adviser of the Cyprus Consumers Association, Virginia Christou, and Honorary President of the Cyprus Travel Agents Association, Akis Kelepeshis, explained the main changes on Sigma’s midday programme.
Wider definition of “package”
If a traveller books services from two different providers (e.g. hotel from one agent and flights from another), the first provider must inform the second within 24 hours and share customer details so the services are treated as a single package. This triggers full package-travel protection, although data-protection concerns remain.
Vouchers and refunds
Travellers can now refuse a voucher and demand a cash refund within 14 days if a trip is cancelled. If they accept a voucher, it is valid for 12 months, can be used for any service from the same organiser, is transferable once to another person, and is fully protected against insolvency.
Cyprus is moving forward with a national Insolvency Fund that will cover affected travellers for six months after a travel agent fails.
Standardised complaints procedure
Organisers must acknowledge complaints within 7 days and give a fully reasoned reply within 60 days.
Akis Kelepeshis noted that Cypriot agents already operate under stricter rules than most EU countries, with 20 % bank guarantees (double the usual 10 %) and only 2–3 insolvencies in decades.
“Cypriot travellers can feel safe,” he said.
Virginia Christou welcomed the changes but criticised slow implementation by Cypriot authorities compared with other member states.
The new rules apply only to package holidays and combined travel services, not to standalone flight tickets (which fall under the separate Passenger Rights Regulation).
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