ACCC and ACL Regulators Best Practice Guidance for the Travel Industry for COVID-19 related Travel Cancellations

The ACCC and state and territory Australian Consumer Law regulators have developed best practice guidance for the travel industry in relation to dealing with COVID-19 related cancellations.

The guidance relates primarily to circumstances where travel services have been cancelled as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic (rather than, for example, where a travel service will still proceed but a consumer has decided to cancel their booking).

In doing so, businesses should continue to be mindful of their obligations under the Australian Consumer Law, which include:

• to not mislead customers, including about what the customer is entitled to under their terms and conditions
• to not act unconscionably when dealing with their customers
• to not seek to rely on unfair terms in standard form contracts with customers.