ASA Adjudication on MacBackpackers Ltd

Ad

A magazine ad for MacBackpackers Ltd listed several holiday tours. Body copy in the centre of the ad stated "Scotland's only GENUINE* Backpacker." This appeared alongside body copy that advertised a three-day "Skye Tour" for £79. The asterisk was linked to text that stated "We spend both nights on Skye - at least 36 hours on this beautiful island (no one else does)." Text at the bottom of the ad stated "Book online or give our elves a call." A telephone number beginning 0131 and a website address were stated in the ad. Text underneath the website address stated "the one stop website for - TOURS + ACCOMMODATION + TRANSPORT."

Issue

Radical Travel challenged whether the claim "Scotland's only GENUINE* Backpacker" was misleading when linked with the three-day "Skye Tour."

CAP Code (Edition 11)

Response

MacBackpackers Ltd (MacBackpackers) said it was important to understand backpacker culture was distinct from mainstream tourism and had its own magazines and websites that were not easily confused with mainstream tourism.  They said their customers were generally young travellers on a budget who preferred an informal approach to accommodation. They said that within the backpacker market, they were the only tour that spent two nights on Skye, and therefore their claim to be "Scotland's only GENUINE Backpacker 3 Day Skye Tour .. " was justified.  They acknowledged that one other company spent a similar amount of time on Skye, but said that company did not appeal to the same niche backpacker  market as MacBackpackers because it did not advertise in the sort of magazines read by backpackers and was more expensive

Assessment

THIS ADJUDICATION REPLACES THAT PUBLISHED ON 30 APRIL 2008.  THE DECISION HAS BEEN REVERSED, MAKING THE COMPLAINT 'NOT UPHELD'.

The ASA considered that MacBackpackers' claim to provide "Scotland's only GENUINE* Backpacker 3 Day Skye Tour ... " was acceptable because the only other company that spent a similar amount of time on the Isle of Skye did not market itself as a backpacker tour operator and did not target the backpacker tourist exclusively.  

We investigated the ad under CAP Code clauses 3.1 (Substantiation), 7.1 (Truthfulness) and 19.1 (Other comparisons) but did not find it in breach.

Action

No further action necessary.

Adjudication of the ASA Council (Non-broadcast)