CMA open letter to all package holiday businesses
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has published an open letter to all businesses involved in organising package holidays for UK consumers.
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This guidance was published in response to the coronavirus pandemic restrictions and has not been updated to reflect legislative developments, including the unfair commercial practices provisions of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (DMCC Act) which came into force on 6 April 2025.
For further guidance on the DMCC Act, read Consumer protection: enforcement guidance and Unfair commercial practices.
The CMA is also refreshing its guidance on unfair contract terms.
The CMA has received over 17,500 complaints from consumers about difficulties they have faced with package holiday businesses in relation to cancellations and refunds due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
As a result of the volume of complaints received, the CMA has published an open letter to the sector highlighting its concerns and setting out what it expects businesses to do. A copy of this letter will be sent directly to over 100 businesses that we have received the most complaints about so far.
The CMA is not disclosing the identities of businesses who it issues letters to.
Find out more about our COVID-19 cancellations: package holidays investigation