A mandatory charge is an amount the customer must pay to buy or receive the product. The CMA says unavoidable fees and taxes normally belong in the total price, rather than being disclosed only as separate extras. Source: CMA: clear and accurate prices

Check the specific travel offer

For an illustrative hotel offer, ask whether a stated local charge applies to the actual dates, guests and room arrangement. Retain the supplier information used for that decision. This gives the team a reason for including the charge rather than applying a remembered rule to every stay.

Separate price from payment timing

Record the total and who collects each part. The CMA’s guidance says mandatory local charges should be included in the invitation to purchase and, where reasonably calculable, the total price. Paying a charge at the property does not by itself make it optional. Source: CMA: clear and accurate prices

If a calculation is unclear, obtain the missing detail and review the applicable guidance before advertising the offer. Keep the question visible in the working record so it does not disappear when the offer is copied into another channel.

Written and updated by Travelgenix. Sources checked on 16 October 2026. Worked examples and checklists are editorial illustrations and recommendations, not customer results.