There has been a 31 per cent increase in the number of holiday queries received by the European Consumer Centre in the first five months of this year compared with the same period last year.
The most frequently reported problem was that resorts fell short of the description in the brochure. "We want to remind consumers that they are protected and that help is at hand through the ECC network should something go wrong," its manager, Ms Tina Leonard, said.
The ECC, which is funded by the European Commission and the Office of the Director of Consumer Affairs, has produced a free travel pack which outlines consumers' rights. It includes a guide to air passenger rights, a guide to package travel and a consumer card. The card contains a wallet-sized list of telephone numbers for the 12 European Consumer Centres in the EU.
There is also a guide to Ireland, written in English, French, Italian and Spanish, which informs visitors how to seek redress should they run into difficulties with accommodation, restaurants or buying goods and services.
The travel pack is available from the ECC, 13a Upper O'Connell Street, Dublin 1 (tel: 018090600). Website: www.ecic.ie