Hotels, Online Sites Fight Over Travel Tax Burden

executive director Richard Lloyd said: "Going on holiday is meant to be a pleasure but there is nothing fun about being whacked with a costly call. "It's a disgrace that people face bumper bills just to ask a question or make a complaint about their travel booking. "The Government should close the loophole that allows travel companies to use costly phone numbers without delay." Airlines including Ryanair, Monarch, FlyBe, KLM, Aer Lingus and Lufthansa also use 0871 numbers for reservations, complaints or other customer inquiries.

Replying to Curtorim Congress MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco's question on fake travel agencies, the Saligao MLA said action against the 10 agencies, under relevant provisions of the Goa Registration of Tourist Trade Act, is under way. Of the 10, six operate in the costal belt of north Goa, specifically around Calangute, Morjim, Candolim, etc, while in the south, all four fake travel agencies operate from Margao. Around 100 small and big travel agencies operate in Goa.

This is clearly the case with online travel services. But travel industry advocates say the change would hurt travel agents that operate offline, too, and that theres no reason to change a system that has operated without change for years. The majority of the states are seeing that the business model, as it is, works just fine, said Robin Reck, communications director for the Travel Technology Association. For the online travel companies, its a lot of money, but the people it also effects are the local travel agents. So far, the online travel companies are winning the legislative fight. Sixteen state legislatures took up similar bills proposing to change the policy in 2013, but it only passed in one state, Oregon.

9, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- InsureMyTrip, the top travel insurance comparison site, today announced the extension of its customer care call center hours for customers. The expansion comes in response to a steady increase in call volume from customers seeking guidance on travel insurance plans during off-peak hours and weekends. Travelers can now speak with a licensed travel insurance agent 7 days a week, Monday - Thursday 7 a.m. 12 a.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. 9 p.m.