Package travel reform and the UK: pioneering divergence in a closely aligned market or following in the shadow of the EU? Christopher Deacon1 UK proposals for reform. – EU proposals for reform. – An over-arching concern. – Should the PTRs continue to apply to UK-only package holidays? – How should Linked Travel Arrangements (LTAs) be regulated? – What should the government do about insolvency protection and insurance for holiday bookings? – How should ‘other tourist services’ be dealt with when forming part of a package? – An opportunity for the UK to evolve without straying too far from the EU’s shadow. As the package travel industry recovered from the Covid-19 pandemic, legislators in both the UK and EU turned their minds to package travel reform following the implementation of Directive (EU) 2015/2302, which came into force in July 2018. While the EU’s emphasis was on ensuring the industry could respond in future times of crisis, notably regarding consumer ability to receive timely and effective refunds of monies paid where travel services could not proceed, the UK’s proposals for reform extend to the fundamental scope of package travel legislation. While in theory the UK can now make its own journey when reforming the UK’s position on package travel regulation, there is clear overlap in the intentions of each legislator. To what extent, therefore, are we likely to see pioneering divergence given the reality of the close alignment in the UK and EU’s travel industries? Will the UK continue to follow in the shadow of the EU, with UK-based travel operators who also conduct business in the EU (and vice versa) keen to see as unified a system as possible maintained? This article focuses on the UK government’s 2025 consultation and the importance of maintaining consumer protections, notably in relation to the regime imposing liability for lack of conformity on tour operators, which importantly extends to claims for serious personal injury. DOI 10.60559/ijtthl2026-001 1 Partner, Stewarts.
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