The Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) has identified that consumers are facing price shifts when booking vacation trips with three package tour providers, preventing them from booking at the initially presented price. ACM emphasizes that consumers should be able to rely on the first price offered by tour operators to compare offers accurately.

Following an investigation into travel prices, ACM found that 11 out of 12 package tour providers were incorrectly presenting mandatory additional costs. As a response, ACM has imposed penalties on three providers to ensure transparent and accurate pricing practices in the industry.

ACM stresses that consumers must have confidence that the initial price presented is the price they can book the trip for, even if additional details are provided. Any significant price changes during the booking process are considered misleading and harmful to consumers, leading to potential unfair competition in the market.