Reservation Document

Acceptance of the voucher: If so agreed between the hotelier and the travel agent, the hotelier must accept a voucher. The travel agent acknowledges that the voucher issued to his/her client - for the hotelier - is a guarantee of payment, unless clearly specified otherwise.

Services to be specified on the voucher should include: dates of arrival and departure, hotel services to be provided and possibly the means of transport.

Vouchers covering an extension of hotel services are subject to prior written agreement between the hotelier and the travel agent regarding the services to be provided.

Questions

1. Who are the signatories of the Code of Practice?

2. What articles shouldn’t be applied by the signatories?

3. What is a hotel contract?

4. What are hotels contracts initiated by?

5. What should the confirmed reservations stipulate?

6. What is a voucher?

7. What are vouchers covering an extension of hotel services subject to?

Rates

The hotelier shall abide by the agreed contractual rates in the currency of the country where the hotel is located or any other currency stated in the contract. However, long-term contracts may contain a clause concerning adjustment of the rates.

Advance Payment

The hotelier may request either total or partial pre-payment. The hotelier may require a reservation fee or "advance payment" (earnest money or guarantee deposit) as a condition of his/her acceptance of the order. If the hotelier considers "advance payment" as "earnest money" it should be specifically stipulated. The reservation fee will be deducted from the final invoice but will not be reimbursed in case of late cancellation.

Any such advance payment may be treated as a "guarantee deposit", except when a cancellation is made in accordance with the hotelier’s written cancellation policy or customary trade practices. Whenever the hotelier requests an advance payment, the hotel contract shall be concluded only on payment of this amount or when proof of payment has been produced.

The hotelier shall acknowledge receipt of the advance payment no later than seventy-two (72) hours thereafter.

Payment due to the hotelier

The services payable by the travel agent are those specified in the confirmation document (hotel contract). The travel agent having concluded a hotel contract is responsible for payment of the specified services except when it has been agreed that the invoice shall be paid directly by the client.

In the case of a long hotel stay, the travel agent may be asked to pay the hotelier during the course of the stay for the services already provided, according to the terms of the contract.

In cases where the travel agent reserves hotel services to be paid directly by the client, the hotelier guarantees the travel agent’s commission on the confirmed services. For direct payments, the hotelier will accept only those credit cards for which he is accredited.

Clear Understanding of the Commission Policy

The hotel policy regarding payment of commission and terms of such payment must be clearly indicated and agreed upon by the travel agent before or at the time of the confirmation.

Information regarding commission policy should normally include:

• whether a commission will be paid and on which services;

• the rate(s) of commission;

• whether commissions are payable on any extension of stay agreed by the hotel and/or on reservations effected by the client during his stay, for a further period where the payment is guaranteed by the travel agent.