Internet sites are attracting customers under false pretences by advertising unavailable cut-price holidays, the Institute of Trading Standards warned today.
Low prices are advertised to lure potential customers - who are then told that the lower price is no longer available and offered the same holiday at a higher cost.
The practice was spreading on the internet, where it was known as "virtual pricing", said trading standards spokesman Bruce Treloar.
"Internet sites offering cheap holidays have really taken off since the beginning of the year and we are trying to keep them up with the law," he said. "We are concerned about virtual pricing and we are looking particularly into last-minute holidays which are not available at the price advertised."
But he stressed that no specific investigations were being conducted into either of the two big online travel agents, Lastminute.com or Bargainholidays.com. "We have had no specific complaints about these sites," he said.
The institute was also very concerned that many sites offering cheap holidays were not British companies, he said. "We have no jurisdiction over many of these sites."
The chief executive of Lastminute.com, Brent Hoberman, said his company's site did not use the "bait and trap" process. "That is not the way we run our business," he said. "It is in our interests only to show offers that are available."
