TopParken
Select language
English
Deutsch
Nederlands - België
Nederlands
TopParken
Menu
Select language
English
Deutsch
Nederlands - België
Nederlands

Consumers'Affairs; No unexpected costs at TopParken

  1. Home
  2. Consumers'Affairs; No unexpected costs at TopParken
June 02, 2021

Show fair prices

Showing fair prices at the beginning of the booking process is not obvious. Many Dutch vacation providers add extra costs during the booking process, or even at the end of the process. The original starting price has then disappeared, and is in many cases tens of euros higher, according to research by Consumers' Affairs in the Consumer Guide. And what about TopParken? Very simple; here we do not have unexpected costs, and we show fair prices!

Always a fair starting price

At TopParken, we think it is important that our visitors are not faced with unpleasant surprises during the booking process. After all, the customer journey, and looking forward to a pleasant stay already starts with the booking. This does not include (disappointments about) unexpected, additional costs. Showing a fair starting price has always been done within our organization, and has now also been noticed by the Consumers' Association. They have conducted research into additional costs at vacation parks, where TopParken ranks as one of the most transparent vacation providers. Nothing new for us, of course, but we are proud of the fact that this is recognized by an independent party, such as the Consumers' Association.

Curious about the exact results per vacation provider? Then take a look at the overview of the additional costs that are shown in the starting price per Dutch vacation provider.

 
Overview of the additional costs per Dutch vacation providers
Source: Table of additional costs vacation parks, Consumer Guide 2021

Compare prices

Besides not wanting to give our visitors any unpleasant surprises when booking, it is also easier to compare prices. After all, the price that one wants to compare is the total price, and not a starting price with several additional costs. From a marketing point of view, it may be interesting to attract as many visitors as possible with a low entry price, but we place more value on customer friendliness, and a pleasant customer journey; from booking to returning home.

What are the rules?

Dutch vacation providers are legally obligated to include fixed costs in the starting price and, therefore, to show them clearly. Fixed costs are costs that must be paid in any case, such as reservation costs, bed linen, tourist tax and cleaning costs. However, research by the Consumers' Association shows that many, including large vacation providers, do not comply with this. These additional costs are added to the starting price later in the booking process, which is, therefore, essentially not allowed.

Advice

Our advice here is, when booking and/or comparing a vacation, to remain alert to any additional costs. As indicated, several vacation providers advertise with a starting price, or a starting price excluding these costs. According to the Consumers' Association in this article, the additional costs can even be up to 37% higher than the starting price. Don't let this diminish the enthusiasm for a nice stay in The Netherlands, because our country has so much to offer!

Without unpleasant surprises afterwards

Vacation home on the water in a wooded area