Act on Travel Service Combinations
Travel organisers must deposit a security which makes it possible for passengers to get back an advance payment they made for a travel package if the organiser becomes insolvent. The security must also cover the costs of the passengers’ travel back home, even if no charges for it had been collected before the start of
The legislation on travel packages defines when tourist services are
- a travel package, or
- linked travel arrangements.
The Act refers to travel packages and linked travel arrangements collectively as a travel service combination. In non-technical language, a travel package refers to both types of arrangements.
The obligation to deposit a security concerns travel organisers
- who collect advance payments from travellers, or
- whose travel packages include transport.
An organiser who has the duty to deposit a security must register with the Travel Guarantee Register maintained by the Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority.
Travel organisers entered in the register are charged an annual supervision and insolvency protection fee.
The organiser does not have a duty to deposit a security for travel packages
- if the travel time is less than 24 hours and the package does not include an overnight stay
- for which advance payments are not collected and which do not include transport
- if the organiser is an association, club or similar
- which are based on a written general agreement for the arrangement of business travel.
- A general agreement for the arrangement of business travel means an agreement concluded between a travel organiser and a trader acting for purposes relating to their trade, business, craft or profession. These agreements are generally valid until further notice or for a set period, and they cover several trips taken as part of the activities of a company or other organisation.
- If there is no written general agreement for the arrangement of business travel between the travel organiser and the company, the organiser must also deposit a security for travel packages sold to companies.
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Before and after booking a travel package, the passenger have the right to receive certain essential information regarding the package travel contract and your rights as a traveller, a copy of the package travel contract or a confirmation of the contract. You must also be given essential travel documents such as tickets.
Legislation
- Act on Travel Service Combinations (in Finnish; Laki matkapalveluyhdistelmistä 901/2017) Opens in new tab Is an external link
- Ministry of Justice Decree on Information to be Provided to Travellers on Travel Service Combinations, PDF (in Finnish, 181/2018) Opens in new tab Is an external link
- Act on Travel Service Combination Providers (in Finnish; Laki matkapalveluyhdistelmien tarjoajista 921/2017) Opens in new tab Is an external link
- Act on the Supervision and Insolvency Protection Fee Paid by Providers of Travel Service Combinations (in Finnish; Laki matkapalveluyhdistelmien tarjoajan valvonta- ja maksu- kyvyttömyyssuojamaksusta 922/2017) Opens in new tab Is an external link