The travel giant said it had placed Intele’s sales account “on hold” while the issue was looked into.

After being made aware of the activity, Tui said it had “immediately” agreed with the homeworking network to freeze its distribution channel, a move it described as “standard practice”.

A spokesperson for InteleTravel confirmed to TTG it was “investigating the source of a booking made with Tui” lodged about a fortnight ago, but did not specify the nature of the problem.

“It would be inappropriate to comment further until the investigation has been completed. Until then, we have restricted our activity with Tui,” she added.

A Tui spokesperson said: “We will work closely with InteleTravel to help with their investigation and ensure a process is put in place so that when the issue is resolved they can continue to sell through Tui.”

InteleTravel UK joined Abta on 20 March after a two-year application process requiring the company to prove compliance with industry regulations, including training its members around financial protection.

Abta’s decision sparked heated debate due to Intele’s unconventional business model, courting large numbers of homeworkers from outside the travel sector.