AGCM

PRESS RELEASE

REFUND OF TRIPS TO EGYPY, COMMITMENTS AND SANCTIONS – At the end of 12 investigations initiated about 14 Italian tour operators (one of them with two companies and another one with two brands), the Antitrust Authority has accepted the commitments made by 6 operators to refund trips to Egypt, formerly cancelled after the Foreign Ministry’s invitation not to travel to that country due to political and social tensions, which was circulated in August 2013 until July last year. In the other instances, the Competition and Market Guarantor Authority (Agcm) has ascertained infringements (aggressive or unfair commercial practices) and inflicted administrative sanctions of a pecuniary nature, including one of 150.000 Euros against the company Phone&Go.

On the strength of feedback from several consumers and consumer associations, the Antitrust had commenced the investigations on the tour packages offered by Alpitour, Veratour, Going con Bluvacanze, Eden, Phone&Go, Swantour, Marevero (owned by Damare S.r.l. and Liberi Tutti Travel S.r.l.), Settemari, I Viaggi di Atlantide (owned by Impresa Viaggi Sea Line S.r.l), I Viaggi del Turchese, Brixia Tour Operator (owned by Savio Nicola & Co. S.a.s), and Amico Tour Resort Travel (owned by Maurizio Pellucchi). The first objection concerned the failure to make a refund by the tour operators, as at the date of the cancellation of the trip, of the whole price paid by the clients, along with the failure to propose alternative destinations at the same price terms. The second objection concerns the methods of promotion of the tour packages through the operators’ Internet sites, characterized by the omission of significant information on the socio-political conditions affecting Egypt during that period.

Six of the 12 investigations have ended with an acceptance of the commitments: Alpitour, Veratour, Swantour, Going/Bluvacanze, Settemari and Amico Tour Resort Travel have thus bound themselves to refund to the clients the sums withheld by them following the cancellation of the trips to Egypt; to inform in future, through their own Internet sites, of any possible counter-indications for the destinations covered by the publicized tours; and, lastly, to insert into the sites and the printed catalogues the fact that a full refund of the price disbursed for the tour package is envisaged in the event of cancellation of the trip due to a reason not attributable to the consumer.

As regards Eden, Phone&Go, Marevero, I Viaggi di Atlantide, I Viaggi del Turchese and Brixia Tour Operator, the investigations ended instead with the ascertainment of the infringement and the imposition of administrative sanctions. More particularly, the Antitrust has held that the operators’ conduct amounted to an aggressive commercial practice given that, following the cancellation of the trips to Egypt, they had withheld part of the sums paid by the tourists; and that the failure to inform – on the tour operators’ Internet sites – about the socio-political condition of that Country, amounted likewise to an unfair commercial practice, given that acquaintance with it was deemed to be essential for the purpose of consumers making a conscious and careful decision.

Rome, 18 December 2014