My package holiday went wrong or the organiser collapsed — what am I entitled to?
A package (flight + hotel booked together, or a tour) comes with the strongest travel rights in the EU: the organiser is liable for every part, must fix problems on the spot, owes a price reduction and compensation for what it cannot fix, and must be insolvency-protected — if it collapses, the guarantee fund refunds you and brings you home. Complain to the organiser during the trip in writing, then claim after. Državni inspektorat — tržišna inspekcija (01 2375 100) advises; Europski potrošački centar Hrvatska (ecc-croatia.hr) for an organiser in another EU country; Ministarstvo turizma — jamčevina turističkih agencija (mint.gov.hr) is the guarantee scheme that pays if the organiser is insolvent.
🗣️ What to say
"Booking [number], [dates, destination]. [The hotel / transfer / excursion] was [not provided / not as described: what]. I reported this on [date] to [rep / hotline] and it was not resolved. I claim a price reduction of [%] and compensation for [costs / lost days], receipts attached."
🪜 Step by step
- Complain on the spotTo the rep or the 24-hour line, in writing (email/app). Give them a chance to fix it; keep the reply.
- DocumentPhotos, the brochure description, receipts of anything you paid to fix it yourself.
- Claim within the deadlineUsually within a month of return, to the organiser, itemised.
- Refusal: Državni inspektorat — tržišna inspekcija, Europski potrošački centar Hrvatska, ADRConsumer body, ECC for cross-border, and the travel ADR scheme if the organiser is a member.
- Organiser insolvent: Ministarstvo turizma — jamčevina turističkih agencijaThe guarantee fund refunds prepayments and repatriates; check the organiser was registered — it must be.
📇 All contacts
❓ Frequently asked
Can I cancel before departure?
Yes, with a fee — unless "unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances" at the destination (natural disaster, serious unrest), in which case a full refund is due.
The organiser changed the hotel
A significant change lets you accept a replacement or cancel with a full refund, plus compensation in some cases. A minor change does not.
The flight was delayed — package or EU 261?
Both: EU 261 compensation from the airline, and the organiser owes a remedy for the lost part of the holiday. They cannot be claimed twice for the same loss.
📎 Sources
- Državni inspektorat — tržišna inspekcija →
- Europski potrošački centar Hrvatska →
- Ministarstvo turizma — jamčevina turističkih agencija →
- Centar za mirenje HGK / Sud časti HGK →
🔎 Common searches
Recognise your own search? The answer above covers all of these.
- “package holiday complaint compensation Croatia”
- “tour operator insolvent refund”
- “package travel rights price reduction”
- “holiday not as described claim”
- “travel guarantee fund Croatia”
🧭 Is this still correct?
We check this information carefully, but phone numbers, websites and rules change — and sometimes we get something wrong. Spotted a mistake or a change? Let us know below.
⚠️ Readers report that something here may have changed — we are checking it.
✅ Thank you — this keeps the page up to date for everyone.