TL;DR
- ABTA has reminded members to review its updated guidance on CMA pricing enforcement
- The CMA has made it clear it is keeping a close eye on companies not including unavoidable fees in headline prices
- This covers resort charges, local taxes, and anything customers can’t opt out of
- Many ABTA members are already getting this right
- The full guidance note is available on ABTA’s website
Getting Your Head Around the Changes
A small but important update for anyone quoting holidays with extra charges built in.
ABTA Senior Solicitor Paula Macfarlane has sent a reminder to members about the Competition and Markets Authority’s pricing rules, which have been enforced since the CMA set out its position last November. The message is a simple one: if a customer has to pay a fee no matter what, it needs to be in the price shown upfront.
This covers resort fees, local taxes payable at hotels, ports or airports, and any other charges customers can’t avoid. The CMA has said it will be keeping a close eye on companies that leave these costs out of their advertised prices, and ABTA has been clear this is not something to leave sitting in the “deal with later” pile.
The encouraging news? Plenty of members are already on top of this. ABTA has been sending out advice on this topic for a while now and continues to answer questions from members while seeking further clarity from the CMA. The updated guidance note brings everything together in one place, so there’s no need to piece it together from different sources.
The Practical Bit
One of the trickier parts is working out what counts as unavoidable. ABTA has been asking the CMA for clearer direction on the difference between optional and unavoidable charges. The key question is whether the cost is a necessary part of the booking.
A resort fee that every guest pays? That’s unavoidable and belongs in the headline price. A room upgrade or spa treatment? That’s optional and can stay separate. Local taxes that apply to all visitors? They need to be included. Travel insurance or excursions the customer can turn down? Those remain add-ons.
Members have been raising questions about the grey areas, and ABTA continues to work with the CMA to get clearer answers. In the meantime, the guidance note offers a sensible framework for reviewing pricing structures and understanding where the lines are.
For Your Client Conversations
For agents, this particularly matters when quoting international bookings where local taxes and resort fees are common. If suppliers add unavoidable charges later in the booking process, those costs need to be reflected in initial quotes to clients.
Being upfront about total costs is something that tends to work in your favour over time. When clients see that the price quoted is the price they pay, it builds trust and creates a solid foundation for repeat bookings and referrals. It’s one of those quiet things that makes a real difference to how clients feel about working with you.
ABTA members can access the full guidance note through the association’s website. If there’s any uncertainty about specific pricing scenarios, now is a good time for a review.
Agent Advantage Insight
If international bookings are a regular part of the diary, it’s worth running through headline prices this week and checking that all unavoidable fees are included upfront. Clients notice when the final cost matches the original quote, and that consistency builds the kind of trust that keeps them coming back.
