NSW: Canyoning tragedy sparks review by Contiki Australia
SYDNEY, Dec 2 AAP - Tour company Contiki Australia has pledged to tighten up its safetywarnings for adventure holidays following the Swiss canyoning disaster.
While Contiki bore no blame for the deaths of 14 of its Australian customers in the1999 tragedy, the company's advertising may not have adequately outlined the risks ofsuch an adventure, according to the consumer watchdog.
Six managers of a Swiss company were last year found guilty of manslaughter by culpableneglect following the disaster near Interlaken, when a flash flood swept away 18 youngtourists and three guides.
Following complaints by some parents, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission(ACCC) investigated the tour advertising issued by Contiki, with which the victims hadtravelled to Switzerland.
The ACCC said today it was not alleged that Contiki Australia was in any way responsiblefor the 1999 tragedy.
However, it said the company may have induced Australian consumers to travel with ContikiEurope in July 1999 on assurances of safety, when these assurances could not be adequatelysupported.
The ACCC said it considered Contiki might not have had reasonable grounds for makingrepresentations on its website and in advertising promoting the European tour.
The representations included that Contiki Europe would provide a safe environment wherea customer's personal safety and security would never be compromised.
The ACCC said it considered such representations risked being misleading or deceptive.
It said the risks involved in the canyoning expedition, or the now defunct Swiss canyoningcompany Adventure World, had not been thoroughly investigated.
Travellers with Contiki may also not have been provided with sufficient informationabout canyoning and its risks, the ACCC said.
Now, without admitting liability, Contiki had made a court-enforceable undertakingto reform its quality-assurance systems, including safety representations for adventureholidays, the ACCC said.
The raft of reforms was aimed at providing reasonable and verifiable grounds for anysafety representations contained in advertising distributed by Contiki, including referencesto third party operators.
Contiki had promised not to make any claims about safety unless they could be verified,the ACCC said.
For jurisdictional reasons, the ACCC investigation did not consider issues of negligenceor the conduct of either Contiki Europe or of Swiss company Adventure World.
AAP jo/arb/sp/apm/sb
KEYWORD: SWISS RIVER
No comments:
Post a Comment