So when BEIS released its document this week, the question on industry experts’ lips was, had it been worth the wait?

Disappointingly not. As one expert told TTG, the consultation is more of a “copy and paste job” than a well-thought out discussion.

There is a distinct lack of clarity on how the directive’s key elements will be transposed into UK law, what information customers will have before booking, how it will identify a Linked Travel Arrangement and what the definition of a package holiday will be in 2018.

All of this matters because it will be travel agents who shoulder the changes. As travel expert Alan Bowen says, while larger operators have prepared for PTD, agents who never saw themselves as package organisers will be caught out.

Releasing the document in the holiday season – allowing only five weeks for responses – is simply unfair, and ultimately a rushed job means a risk of less protection for consumers and a greater potential for loopholes or dishonest firms to mislead customers.

The industry has certainly made its opinions known to TTG this week. Now it must respond to the government with a lot more clarity and speed than our friends at BEIS have demonstrated.

A decade of leading in luxury

This autumn marks the 10th anniversary of TTG’s sister title ttgluxury, launched in 2007, a year before the recession. Amid economic turmoil, the sector thrived and a decade later ttgluxury is stronger than ever. To tie in with the 10th anniversary, we’re thrilled to announce the UK travel trade’s first Luxury Travel Week to be held in October, with glamorous events, networking and a new luxury travel awards.