ITAA Encourages Travellers to Stay Vigilant and Book with Trusted Travel Agents This Black Friday

The Irish Travel Agents Association is encouraging consumers to book their holidays with licensed travel agents to avoid online holiday scams this Black Friday.

With an increase in online travel offers during this time of year, travel industry members and the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) have noted that some fraudulent websites may appear alongside genuine travel deals. These sites can advertise discounts or time-limited offers that may not be an actual holiday.

The ITAA is reminding travellers of the benefits of booking with licensed, trusted travel agents, particularly during busy online sales periods such as Black Friday.

Clare Dunne, CEO of the ITAA, said “Black Friday brings fantastic opportunities for holidaymakers to secure great value holidays. We encourage travellers to take the time to carefully ensure they are booking with a licensed, trusted travel agent. Doing this provides valuable protections, expert advice, and confidence that your holiday arrangements are genuine.”

All members of the Irish Travel Agents Association are licensed and bonded, offering consumers important financial protection on their bookings. The ITAA recommends that travellers check the bonding status of any agent or website, and if they are established in Ireland. A dot ie website does not necessarily mean the travel agent is established in Ireland.  Consumers can check this information on the Irish Aviation Authority’s website www.iaa.ie.

For more information, or to find a list of ITAA travel agents, visit www.itaa.ie