Most of the problems are related to travel booking websites, followed by airlines. Consumers report problems with tour operators, particularly undue charges, communication failures, and security/potential fraud issues, according to data from the Complaints Portal.

The analysis of the Hotels, Travel, and Tourism category between January 1st and July 28th indicates that the number of complaints filed against the sector (3,543) increased by 21% compared to the first half of 2024.

According to the data collected, the segments with the most complaints are Travel Booking Websites (50.04%) and Airlines (19.70%). Accommodation Booking Websites (11.40%) ranked third. Marketplaces – Travel, Products, and Services – come next (6.15%), and Travel Agencies received 3.58% of complaints. Hotels accounted for 2.43% of cases, and Airports accounted for 1.89%.

Among the main reasons for consumer complaints directed at the Tourism sector are unfair charges, reported in 57.24% of complaints filed. These include complaints about unauthorized charges or debits; non-refunds/returns; payment/transaction issues; price increases; missing/incorrect prices; and other payment-related inconsistencies. This is followed by communication/information failures (9.91%).

Other reasons are data security breaches and reports of possible fraud (7.71%), and company misconduct, which accounted for 7.37% of cases. Flight and reservation cancellations/delays account for 6.38% of complaints.

The majority of complaints directed at the tourism sector come from Lisbon (33.53%) and Porto (16.79%), with a higher incidence among female consumers (55.80%). The most represented age group is 25 to 34, followed by adults between 35 and 44.

In the analysis of Pedro Lourenço, founder of Portal da Queixa, the sector's reputation has been jeopardized by the lack of customer support, disorganization and inability to resolve issues, as well as misinformation and apathy from regulators. "We've seen an increase in complaints directed at various stakeholders in the tourism sector, including travel agents, booking sites, airlines, and hotel chains, for a variety of reasons.

“However, many consumers cite misinformation and a lack of customer support as the main reasons. This reveals disorganisation and an inability to resolve problems, jeopardising the sector's trust and reputation. Unfortunately, we continue to witness apathy among regulators, who are powerless in the face of offers published online, particularly when booking on digital platforms, which must be addressed through actions that increase consumers' digital literacy," argues Pedro Lourenço.