In travel catalogs, but now also on websites, there is a certain "language" with which the travel providers describe the trip they offer. Because even if tour operators are obliged to describe their offers objectively, they do not have to present their offers in a negative way. Travel catalogs are advertising - but they shouldn't lie. Accordingly, the formulations in travel catalogs are often a tightrope walk between truth and disguise.
Legal position
According to Section 651c (1) of the German Civil Code (BGB), the tour operator must provide the trip in such a way that it has the warranted characteristics and does not adhere to any defects "that cancel or reduce the value or suitability for the usual benefit or benefit required by the contract. “The“ and ”is to be understood in the sense of“ or ”. A property is "guaranteed" in a travel catalog if it is a particularly intensely highlighted performance feature or performance features that are recognizably particularly important to the traveler. For example, "very quiet location" for an organizer of senior citizens' trips.
An error is present if the tour operator's service deviates from the contractually agreed one in such a way that the deviation cancels out or reduces the value or suitability of the trip. The importance of the travel brochures results from the fact that their statements are usually the basis of the content of the travel contract and the travel confirmation. So if the statement in the catalog contains a factual core, i.e. more than a general recommendation (“in a dreamlike setting”), the tour operator must vouch for it.
Furthermore, § 4 of the BGB Information Duty Ordinance applies to the information in travel catalogs.
Typical formulations
Below is a list of typical formulations of the travel catalog language and their presumed meaning. Not all of these formulations are currently in use. Nevertheless, they are listed in order to give the reader a feel for how to work with formulations in the catalog language.
Location and surroundings
- "(Directly) by the sea" = says nothing about the existence of a beach, better: "(directly) on the beach“
- "15 minutes to the beach" = can be on foot or by car
- “Up-and-coming area” = no comprehensive infrastructure, construction noise
- "Beach Club" = no statement about proximity to the beach
- "Wide promenade" = multi-lane street
- “Bus stop is nearby” = busy street
- “Shopping possibilities” = no statement about the type and size of the shops or their opening times
- "Distance to the beach 350 m" = there may be a road between the hotel and the beach (in densely populated Mediterranean countries)
- “Holiday club complex directly on the beach” = can mean that the specific accommodation of the traveler is on the other (away from the sea) side of the complex, so the way to the beach can be 800 m
- "Hotel is at the entrance to the town" = busy street
- "Short transfer to the airport" = Hotel is near the airport (noisy) / in the approach lane
- "Rental car recommended" = very remote
- "Sea view" = can mean that little of the sea can be seen (through a narrow toilet window, through the gap between two buildings in front of it, for example)
- "Sea side" = does not mean sea view
- “Natural beach / natural beach” = mostly neglected beach: dirty, no tourist infrastructure
- “Fine coral beach” = Don't forget your flip-flops, no matter how fine the corals are, they are sharp-edged.
- "Pebble beach" = flip-flops are also recommended here, the pebbles are certainly of different sizes.
- “Not a real bathing island” = you should expect cliffs rather than beaches
- "Newly opened hotel / newly built facility" = construction noise, unfinished outdoor facilities, construction equipment standing around
- "Only 250 m to the sea" = but not to the beach
- "Panoramic view" = the sea can be seen in the distance, possibly with a difference in altitude between the hotel and the beach
- "Beach promenade" = Can be anything, e.g. a busy tar road
- "Quiet peripheral location" = very remote
- "Taxi distance 10 minutes" = no bus connection
- "Tourism in the early stages" (based on a South American country) = organizational difficulties, as experience shows that often occur in South American countries, are to be expected
- “Well developed for tourism” = many hotels and tourists
- "Untouched nature" = very remote
- "Separated from the beach by the quayside" = street noise and possibly a lot of traffic on the street. If there is no further description, there is no underpass from the hotel to the beach
- "Wild and romantic location" = very remote, not a real street
- "Central location / busy / convenient location" = noisy, traffic, night life
- “Relatively quiet in the middle of the city” = Relatively quiet, it can be really loud here
Building / plant itself and equipment
- "5-story" = possibly no elevator
- "Heatable swimming pool" = can, but does not have to be, heated
- “Newly renovated and furnished holiday home” = a previously used facility may have been replaced by another, but it does not necessarily have to be new and / or modern
- "Spacious double room" = no commitment of a certain minimum size, there is space for a double bed, the other necessary furniture (e.g. wardrobe) and space to use the furniture properly
- "Double room" = room has a double bed
- "2-bed room" = room has two single beds. Normally, these cannot be put together due to the size of the room or the installation
- "Bright, friendly rooms" = says nothing about the comfort, better: "cozy / comfortable rooms“
- “The hotel has still retained a bit of its originality” = there are unrenovated, possibly run-down parts of the building
- "Furnished in Greek style" = sparse, sober furnishings
- "Children's pool" = not suitable for small children (up to approx. 3 years)
- "Air-conditioned rooms" = no entitlement to switch on the system
- "Country-specific construction" = rooms are noisy and simply furnished
- "Mattresses are regularly thinner than the mattresses in this country" = back problems are to be expected
- "Country-specific facility" = simple furnishing
- "Very popular with German guests" = no typical ambience
- "Very popular with regular guests" = can mean that the others have good reasons not to come (anymore)
- "Sports facilities are not suitable for professionals" = inadequate, only for undemanding laypeople
- "Fresh water swimming pool" = pool with mostly treated tap water
- "Temperate swimming pool" = not warmer than 21/22 degrees
- "Accommodation in the category four globes / four palm trees / four airplanes" = the organizer's own classification, does not have to correspond to the German "four stars"
- "Extensive facility" = possibly a lot of walking, e.g. to eat
- "Central air conditioning" = no individual regulation possible
- “The central meeting point is…” = the hotel probably doesn't have much more to offer
- "Appropriately furnished" = simple equipment
- "Room with double glazing" = traffic noise
Arrival / departure
- "6 day bus trip" = arrival day, four full days, departure day
- "Direct flight" = stopover is possible, you may stay seated in the aircraft, flight has a flight number.
- "Non-stop flight" = flight without a stopover
Catering
- "Diet dishes if possible" = not every diet request can be fulfilled, especially rare diets cannot be fulfilled
- “Local cuisine” = simple fare
- "Breakfast buffet" = the guest has to get the food himself, possibly buffet only with bread and jam
- “International cuisine” = rather simple cuisine, few dishes typical of the country
- “Continental breakfast” = simple breakfast
- "Reinforced breakfast" = continental breakfast with eggs, sausage or cheese
Service and leisure activities
- "Medical care" = only national standard
- "Family atmosphere" = little service and comfort, possibly also a shabby house
- "Fitness room" = little fitness equipment can be used with a fee
- “Folklore evenings” = amateur evening entertainment
- "Occasional entertainment programs" = little going on
- "Young service team" = inexperienced
- “Children's club from 4 years” = not necessarily qualified all-day care
- "Local tour guide" = no tour guide from the organizer on site
- "Regular entertainment program" = can also mean just once a week
- “New Year's Eve Gala” = can be designed according to the customs of the locals
- "Unobtrusive service" = little to see of the service staff, waiting times
- "Weekly animation" = animation once a week
Volume and guests
- “Evening dance events” = sleeping is out of the question until early in the morning
- "Especially suitable for young people" = noise probably until five in the morning
- "Relaxing vacation days" = no noise at all
- "Hotel recommended for people who like to go to bed late" = no sleep can be found here
- "Occasional noise disturbance" = a maximum of 2 hours a day
- “Well-kept ambience” = no noise, no party, rather well-groomed appearance of the guests
- "Ideal for adventurous people" = lots of leisure activities, so possibly also a lot of noise
- "International atmosphere" = (bowling) clubs and associations run around here, the party with tourists from all over the world is loud
- "Child-friendly" = nothing for those in need of rest
- "Lively resort" / "Lively hotel" = noise pollution to be expected
- “The nightlife is very important. Anyone who likes to dance, drink and party until the early hours of the morning is at the right holiday address here "= the facility is unsuitable for those looking for peace and quiet
- "Casual / casual atmosphere" = probably around the clock party, possibly tourists with swimwear in the dining room
photos
The photos are also often a little "embellished". The rooms are shot with a wide-angle lens, making them appear larger, the busy street separating the hotel from the beach cannot be seen, etc.
