'It turned out to be a scam'- Irish families warned ahead of booking a summer holiday

January is a popular month for people to start booking their summer holidays with cheaper offers for flights and package holidays most common during this time.

New research from the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) has revealed that 16% of Irish holidaymakers experienced issues with foreign holidays between May and August of last year.

The CCPC has revealed tips and a warning to consumers who are planning on booking their next trip away.

The CCPC research findings for 2025 include:

• Consumers report spending on average €2,473 on their holidays.
• 16% of holidaymakers faced issues while away – most notably with flight delays/reschedules.
• Among all age groups, 18–24-year-olds were most likely to encounter issues, with 29% affected.
• One in three holidaymakers travelled without insurance and almost half of under 35s were not covered by travel insurance. One in ten bought insurance after they bought their holiday.

In 2025, the CCPC helpline received almost 2,700 contacts about travel related issues. For context, the CCPC receives around 45,000 contacts per year. Here are some of the issues faced by consumers:

• “When I picked this hotel there was a photo with a beautiful beach which was the only reason I booked it – it was a 4-hour round trip from the beach to the hotel!”
• “My son and his friends decided to rent a villa in Ibiza through what looked to be a legitimate website. He ended up paying over €4,000 to secure the booking. It turned out to be a scam”
• “The airline lost my suitcase for my skiing trip in Switzerland. I paid for two lessons, but I couldn’t go because I didn’t have my ski gear.”

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• “I booked a package holiday to Spain and had been paying it off in installments. I missed a payment and now my holiday is cancelled, and my deposit is gone.”
• “I booked a flight to Wales to attend an event. My flight has been rescheduled to a later time meaning that I will miss it.”

23% of holidaymakers booked a package holiday last summer. Package holidaymakers can rely on their agent to make alternative plans for them if something goes wrong, but if you’ve organised your own trip, a missed flight or cancelled accommodation could be costly.

Overall, 30% of holidaymakers travelled uninsured, rising to 48% among those under 35. 18–24-year-olds were the most likely to holiday (58%) but the least likely to have travel insurance.

Orla Delargy, Deputy Director of Communications said:“CCPC research shows that Irish holiday makers are spending 2500 euro on average for their foreign summer holiday.

"That’s a considerable amount of money, so travellers should think about potential pitfalls that could ruin their plans. Three in five of those who travelled abroad either have insurance or buy it with the holiday. If you’re travelling uninsured you need to expect the unexpected, and bear in mind that late insurance purchase may not cover you for some events.”

Tips for before you book by CCPC:

Outside of travel insurance, there are other ways that holidaymakers can protect themselves when planning a trip including:

1. Be wary of unexpected offers, especially from unsolicited emails or social media ads.
2. Do your research, check Trustpilot or Reddit for reviews, and don’t rush.
3. Review the cancellation and refund policies before you book.
4. Pay securely. Don’t make payments through bank transfer– use your credit or debit card instead.