ABTA chairman John McEwan believes travel intermediaries have a moral duty to adhere to regulations designed to protect the consumer.
Speaking at Travel Weekly’s office this week on a visit to answer readers’ questions, he said firms could not justify getting around the rules just because technology enabled them to do so.
With the trade in the middle of consultations on both UK and European changes to consumer regulations, he conceded that any new rules had to be clear to be effective.
“It’s also a question of enforcement. While you might find loopholes to circumnavigate the rules, it doesn’t mean to say you are justified in doing so,” he said.
At the Travel Technology Europe Show last week it was claimed European regulation makes travel firms uncompetitive in the internet age.
Tom Jenkins, executive director of the European Tour Operators’ Association, said: “The European Commission is determined to show everyone it exists, and the best way of getting in people’s faces is by issuing legislation.
“The other factor is that politicians in member states are perfectly happy passing consumer legislation about travel. No politician wants to be in front of the cameras when constituents are stranded on a foreign beach.”