The expert view

It has been a week of contrasting news for specialist tour operators. At the weekend Anatolian Sky, whose programme focused mainly on Turkey and north Cyprus, went out of business, unable to ride out the decline in demand caused by worries about security. It is a reminder that specialisation in the travel industry is a doubleedged sword. It means that you are in a strong position commercially. You know your destination, and/or the type of holiday you offer inside out. But, like Anatolian Sky, and another Turkey specialist, Exclusive Escapes, which went out of business last summer, you are also vulnerable. If things go really wrong you are left very exposed.

The good news is that history suggests that specialisation, for the most part, pays off. Proof of this is Aito – the Association of Independent Tour Operators – which this week marked its 40th anniversary. Over that period it has moved from a small band of companies run by enthusiastic owners to an eclectic mix of more than 120 specialists. Many are no longer independent, but Aito remains a huge success story. Behind that success has been its members’ determination to focus on the quality of what they offer. Whether you are interested in art, opera or wine; safaris, cycling or tropical beaches, its website, aito.com, is one of the few places where you can be sure you will get an overview of some of the best, though not always the cheapest, holidays on the market.

But the news of the demise of Anatolian Sky (which wasn’t a member of Aito) is a reminder that the travel industry generally is going through difficult times. And security worries in Turkey, Egypt and Tunisia have been compounded by the economic uncertainty caused by the Brexit vote. For the customer this presents both an opportunity and a risk. There will be lots of bargains out there because business is slow and travel is a perishable product. But you will need to make sure that any money you pay in advance is properly protected.

You are safest with a properly bonded tour operator, because all package holidays must – under EU law – be underwritten by financial protection. The most important scheme to look out for is run by Atol, which protects all packages that include a flight and some flight-only arrangements.

Independent travellers are less well protected, though a credit card is a useful back up. If you pay for part or all of a travel service which costs more than £100 with a credit card the card issuer will be liable for any money you may lose if the relevant company goes out of business. Note that this will only apply to the service you’ve lost, not other services you have booked separately (for example your flights if your airline goes bust, but not your hotel). Full details at telegraph.co.uk/atol.

sign disclaimers. These disclaimers, in effect, said that if the car was held at the border, the customer was responsible for all costs incurred in getting it released.

Some customers did manage to rearrange their rentals at desks on the French side of the airport. As I have a small apartment in France I was told that I could proceed to this secondary residence but must not travel anywhere other than this one return journey. Fortunately I was able to return the car on May 15 without incident.

There appears to be no information on any car rental websites about this law. Can you help me find out what is happening and whether this EU ruling has been mistakenly applied to car rentals? RICHARD JOHNSON

AI spoke to Alamo’s head office in the UK which said that this new EU law prohibiting vehicles registered in Switzerland from being driven into an EU country had caught the car rental industry completely unawares.

A change in EU import legislation appears to be the cause of the confusion. At first, it was hoped that this law – designed to target customs and car fraud – had unintentionally affected holidaymakers, but the EU has not issued further advice. At present, only renters domiciled in the country into which they are crossing are allowed to drive Swiss-registered rental cars.

Alamo has now updated the information on its website and is contacting customers who have made reservations direct. Anyone who has made a reservation through an online broker should contact their broker or – if the broker isn’t responding – the rental company named on their voucher to discuss alternative arrangements.

Most of the major car rental companies also have desks on the French side of Geneva Airport but it is likely that these will be over-subscribed so it is important to find a solution before flying into Geneva (or any other Swiss airport). Also be aware that if you drive out of the French side of the airport on to a Swiss autoroute you must buy a “vignette” for 40 Swiss francs (about £28) or avoid the motorways.

Note that car rental companies discourage cross-border rentals outside of Western Europe (even when the vehicle is returned to the pick-up location). Most major rental companies don’t allow cars rented in, say, Italy, to be driven into neighbouring countries – even those that are members of the EU. Instead you have to rent a car in the country itself or in a closer neighbour.

Before booking, it’s important to read the restrictions in place. These can usually be found under the “Rental Qualifications and Requirements” tab on the booking page. Make sure to have comprehensive insurance cover.