Travel to Morocco: a couple pays 1,000 euros more than others, TUI explains

Margo and her husband say they booked a 15-day group trip to Morocco with the company. However, they claim that during these holidays, they discovered that they had paid 1,000 to 1,200 euros more than their travel companions after discussing with them about the time frame in which they had booked the holidays and the amount they had paid. "And what’s the result? We paid the most: no less than 1,000 to 1,200 euros more than other travel companions," says Margo.

The vacationer is stunned and rules out any possible discounts for early booking or last-minute offers. "Someone had booked four weeks in advance and was still getting an early booking discount. I can believe that the time of booking can make a difference of a few hundred euros. But 1,000 euros, I find that really huge," she fumes. Are more expensive hotel rooms or additional excursions the cause of this price differential? "We did exactly the same trip, with the same bus and the same hotels. We just feel like we’ve been scammed," Margo points out.

So what could explain this price differential? According to the explanations of a TUI spokesperson, the price of a trip fluctuates over time, because the price is adjusted according to demand. And even though this also played a role in this case, it cannot explain the huge price difference between Margo and her travel companions, she believes, adding that it is mainly due to a change in the group trip. "The arrangement had first been offered for a certain amount, based on a specific hotel for the stay. However, we received complaints about this hotel and we felt it no longer met the requirements we set for accommodation. The same arrangement was then resold with a more expensive hotel. That’s why the price was higher afterwards," she adds.

According to the company’s spokesperson, the price increase was not passed on to customers who had already booked when the cheaper hotel was still included in the price. "I understand that this may seem strange to those who booked later, but they paid for the arrangement with the best hotel and this price was also published at the time of booking. The fact that travelers who booked earlier benefit from a financial advantage does not harm the one who books later," she explains further.