Can anyone offer advice about the Package Tour Regulations?
I am setting up a web based company offering walking holidays in the UK and abroad and understand that if a holiday includes guided walking / a programme of visits PLUS accommodation then it becomes a package and then the PTR apply.
This requires a trust account for clients' payments and full professional indemnity and public liability cover. All this sounds complicated and expensive and not worthwhile for maybe one or two trips a year with half a dozen clients.
Has anyone been in a similar situation? Can anyone offer me sound advice please?

Have you thought of approaching ABTA or any other body for tour/holiday operators?

ABTA registration costs quite a bit; you have to have certain things in place to get this. I'm not sure off top of my head if ABTA applies to you though but check it out anyway.

Thanks for the replies so far. ABTA registration does cost a lot - a sizeable bond has to be provided and I am not in that league. Even the small tour operators have to find a large sum of money to become bonded or pay a hefty premium to insure against company failure.

Yeah I know someone who was operating as a tour operator and did not have ABTA yet should have done (I believe it wasn't optional!). Needless to say they stopped operating though they had never got any orders anyway.

Becoming a Tour Operator is not straight forward !!
Other issues include
ATOL regulations if flights are involved.
The issue of liability
How do you protect client funds
There are alternatives to ABTA eg TTA

Cant afford not to use ATOL and ABTA registered companies. Hard earned cash, peace of mind etc.