Travel site and hill resort fined over ‘missing’ pool; Ludhiana consumer wins legal battle.

Ludhiana: A luxury getaway turned into a legal battle after a family arrived at a mountain resort only to find the advertised swimming pool was non-existent. The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has now penalised a major online travel portal and a Kufri-based hotel for "unfair trade practices", ordering them to pay ₹50,000 in compensation.The complainant, Supreet Singh of Ludhiana, booked three rooms at the Himachal Pradesh hotel in June 2022, paying over ₹50,000 for a two-night stay. He has testified that his family chose the property specifically for its pool facilities, as featured prominently in online images. Upon arrival, staff admitted the hotel only had a jacuzzi and redirected his grievances back to the booking platform.In court, both parties attempted to distance themselves from the deception. The travel company claimed it was merely a "facilitator" and blamed the hotel for uploading misleading photographs. The resort argued it had never approved the online representation and was not liable for "third-party promises".The RulingThe Commission dismissed these defenses, concluding that the misleading advertisement was published with the "collusion and concurrence" of both parties to "unjustly enrich" themselves. "The images of the swimming pool... had a tendency to deceive gullible customers," the commission noted, citing a clear violation of the Consumer Protection Act. The parties must pay the fine within 30 days or face an 8% annual interest penalty. For Supreet Singh, the ruling is a victory for transparency in the increasingly digital tourism industry.