Which? reveals UK's best and worst holiday companies

Two companies share the top spot, achieving recommended provider status

Passengers check in at the South Terminal of London Gatwick Airport in West Sussex. PA

Jet2holidays and Kuoni have come out joint first in a survey of beach and resort package providers, while eDreams languished at the bottom, according to research by consumer group Which?.

The level of customer service offered by companies made the difference in where they ended up in its annual ratings, the group said.

Jet2holidays and Kuoni each had a customer score of 84 per cent and were awarded Which? Recommended Provider status.

They had an almost-perfect run of five-star ratings, with Jet2 slipping to four stars on accommodation and Kuoni, the most expensive provider in the survey, losing one star in value for money.

In comparison, online travel agency eDreams scored 64 per cent overall, scoring only two stars from respondents on how well the description of the holidays offered matched the reality.

Although the consumer group said it was the cheapest provider in the survey, eDreams only managed three stars in value for money.

The world's 20 best cities for family holiday in 2022 - in pictures

1. Abu Dhabi has topped a global ranking of cities to visit with kids in The Family Vacation Guide's list for 2022. Hudayriyat beach in the city is one of several family-friendly attractions in the UAE. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

2. Attractions such as Wild Wadi water park contribute in making Dubai a family-friendly destination. Photo: Wild Wadi

3. Turkey's Antalya offers warm weather and Mediterranean views for families. AP

4. Travellers on the lake at El Retiro Park in Madrid, Spain. Reuters

5. Heraklion in Greece has a low average hotel rate of $56.50. Getty Images

6. Perhaps surprisingly, Las Vegas is ranked as one of the best family-friendly cities in the world. Unsplash

7. Alicante in Spain is a top choice for family holidays. Unsplash

8. Children play at the Museum of Ice Cream, one of many attractions that make Singapore a good pick for family trips. EPA

9. Cairo ties with San Diego in having the highest number of sunshine hours. Photo: Nile Kayak Club

10. Travellers can enjoy many family attractions in Melbourne. Unsplash

11. Bangkok has the lowest average hotel rates for families in the index. EPA

12. A family enjoys the sunset in Platja d'Or in Palma de Mallorca. AFP

13. Visitors line a beach in San Diego. The US city is the 13th best city destination for families in 2022. AP Photo / Gregory Bull

14. The Djemaa El Fna in Marrakesh, Morocco is one of many landmarks that families can visit. Photo: Corbis

15. Belem Tower in Lisbon, one of the world's best destinations for families. Getty Images

16. Miami lures families with its sunshine-laced weather, theme parks, beaches and palm trees. Photo: Emirates

17. Tourists stand on Bang Tao Beach in Phuket, southern Thailand. The smallest city in the ranking has the highest number of family attractions per square kilometre. AP

17. Prague, Czech Republic, tied in 17th position with two other cities as a favourite for family holidays. Getty Images

17. Istanbul offers a multitude of family-friendly hotels. Photo: Grand Sura Hagia Sophia Hotel

20. Sydney has lots for families to do and see, including some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Photo: Graham Crouch

It said Tui, as one of the largest providers in the UK to offer a combination of online and shop sales, fell down on customer service.

Overall it came 10 percentage points behind Jet2holidays, despite serving a similar number of travellers in the survey and having the same average price a night for short haul stays, the group said.

It said one traveller said they experienced “rude and ignorant” cabin crew while another described the “long-winded and frustrating” experience of trying to make contact with customer service agents through an app.

Among the positive experiences was one satisfied customer who said that “everything was very slick, good communication and lovely staff”.

10 adventure holidays up close with nature - in pictures

Tiger snapping in India - Dedication is often required in finding wild tigers in India. The Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh is the best spot for seeing them. Getty Images

Whale-watching under the midnight sun, Norway - Between May 25 and July 18, the Lofoten Islands of northern Norway is one of the few places in the world where it’s possible to go whale watching under the photogenic light of the midnight sun. Getty Images

Watching turtles laying eggs, Grenada - Leatherback turtles regularly come back to the same beach where they were born to give birth - usually between April and July. It’s possible to stand in Levera Beach at night and watch the whole process by torchlight. AP Photo

Tundra buggying with polar bears, Canada - In the surrounding tundra of Hudson Bay, Churchill, man gives way to polar bears at the top of the food chain. Tundra buggies with giant tyres plough through the bear’s domain - allowing camera-wielding visitors to get up a lot closer than would otherwise be safe. Corbis

Swimming through jellyfish, Palau - The invertebrate inhabitants of Mecherchar Island’s Jellyfish Lake have evolved to farm algae with their tentacles, rather than sting, making it safe to get in the water with them. Corbis

Sailing to the wall of penguins, South Georgia - South Georgia in the southern Atlantic Ocean has no permanent human inhabitants, but more than enough king penguins to go around. Hundreds of thousands of them can be found during the Northern Hemisphere winter on the Salisbury Plain coastal strip alone, nurturing chicks until they are ready to fend for themselves. Corbis

Snorkelling with whale sharks, Australia - The Ningaloo Reef is just as glorious as the far busier Great Barrier Reef on the east coast and comes with the added bonus of the biggest fish on earth - whale sharks. Corbis

Cruising the Chobe River, Botswana - The rule of thumb in Africa is that where there’s water, there’s wildlife - and the Chobe River in Botswana is notorious for the high concentrations of animals slurping water from its banks. When hundreds of elephants go for a drink at once, the best vantage point is from on the river itself - which is where the purpose-built Zambezi Queen houseboat comes in. Courtesy of AmaWaterways

Microlighting with eagles, Zambia - There’s no shortage of animals to spot in eastern Zambia’s South Luangwa National Park, but the Tafika Camp offers a different perspective. The owner, John Coppinger, takes guests up in his own microlight for a bird’s-eye view of the buffalo, hippos and general bush-waking-up activity below. Courtesy of Remote Africa Safaris

“After an incredibly disruptive few years for travellers, our survey found good customer service puts the best companies ahead of the pack," said Jo Rhodes, deputy editor of Which? Travel.

"With some respondents complaining that their providers were difficult to get hold of when things went wrong, Jet2holidays and Kuoni distinguished themselves by offering travellers support every step of the way.

“Next year, those booking with Which? Recommended Providers will have peace of mind that the price they are quoted is the price they will pay, as these firms have all committed to not levying surcharges if confronted with rising costs.”

Top 10 holiday hot spots based on tourism growth - in pictures

9 Thailand 6.7 growth. Sensational food, knockout beaches, thick jungle and affordable luxury are just some of the things maintaining Thailand’s appeal even amid political trouble.

8 Cambodia 6.9% growth. From the temples of Angkor to relatively unspoilt beaches and a fascinating if bloody history, Cambodia offers everything a traveller to Asia could want. Heng Sinith / AP photo

7 Myanmar 6.9% growth. Myanmar, now mostly referred to as Myanmar, has experienced a steady growth in tourism numbers since Aung San Su Kyi was released from house arrest in 2011. Soe Zeya Tun/ Reuters

6 Gabon 7.3% growth. A small west African country with a population of just 1.6 million, Gabon boasts numerous national parks and has been a relative oasis of stability in the region. iStock photo

5 China 7.3% growth. One of the world’s oldest civilisations, China offers everything from ancient artefacts to ultra-modern cities, with varied landscapes and fantastic food to match.

4 Angola 7.3 % growth. Recently emerged from a 40-year civil war, Angola is now rebuilding, but it’s an expensive country to visit thanks to the budgets of expatriates and businessmen.

3 Zambia 7.3% growth. For those who have already ‘done’ South Africa, Tanzania and Kenya, Zambia is appealing to travellers looking for a less developed, more ‘raw’ experience. Stephane De Sakutin / AFP photo

2 Montenegro 8.6% growth. Featured this week in Travel on page 13, Montenegro is enjoying a fruitful tourism boom following the Balkan Wars of the 1990s, attracting foreign investment.

1 Namibia — 9.1 % growth. Primarily a desert country, Namibia boasts striking landscapes and is growing in popularity as a safe yet interesting adventure holiday destination in Africa.

A representative of eDreams said it would not be accurate to compare it to other companies that specialise in a “more traditional package holiday offering” rather than their “dynamic packages, which are bespoke combinations that package flights and hotels only”.

They said they “take great care to provide accurate descriptions of the accommodation options available through our platforms” and are “incredibly proud of the customer service we provide to our 17 million global customers”.

A Tui representative said: “As a multi-award winner – and the UK’s largest travel company – this tiny survey isn’t at all reflective of the feedback we receive from our customers who enjoy holidaying with us every year."

Which? said it had surveyed 8,361 adults online in September about their experiences between September 2019 and September 2022.