Report says holiday clubs are deliberate rip-offs

So-called holiday clubs are robbing Irish tourists of thousands of euros, according to a report by the European Consumer Centre.

The report says these clubs, which offer cheap luxury holidays to their members, are rip-offs and many are fronts for criminal activities.

Membership lasts 35 months, after which the member can supposedly redeem his or her money.

The ECC has already received 45 calls relating to holiday clubs since January of this year and 26 of these developed into complaints with an estimated loss of more than €100,000.

The report describes the EU’s timeshare directive as inadequate and Irish MEP Patricia McKenna, who is due to launch the report in Dublin today, said the scope of the directive must be broadened to prevent some companies from acting with impunity.