Sandals falls foul of advertising watchdogs
All-inclusive resorts operator Sandals.co.uk has been rapped by advertising watchdogs for placing undue pressure on customers to book holidays to its luxury resorts in the Caribbean.
The Advertising Standards Authority upheld a complaint by a customer who felt he had been rushed into making a booking last October.
The customer said he had been misled into making a quick decision by a promotion on sandals.co.uk, which offered £100 discount on holidays booked by midnight on October 4. The promotion reappeared on the website October 10.
Sandals claimed the first promotion offered a better deal than the second as it offered a much longer travel period and lower lead-in prices, but the ASA ruled the ad breached its code as customers who booked for travel from October to December last year would have paid the same with either promotion.
Sandals was ordered not to repeat the ad.
By Linsey McNeill
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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