The term “package tour” is defined in Section 651a subsection 2 of the German Civil Code. In principle, a package tour must consist of least two travel services. It does not have to entail a complete tour package, e.g. where a tourist books a package advertised in a tour operator’s catalogue. A package tour also exists if the package has been individually put together and booked together for the tourist (Section 651a subsection 2 sentence 2 number 1 German Civil Code) or the individual travel services are selected by the tourist following the conclusion of the contract (Section 651a subsection 2 sentence 2 number 2 German Civil Code). What a travel service is within the meaning of the law is described in more detail in Section 651a subsection 3 sentence 1 German Civil Code.

The package tour must be distinguished from the new category of “linked travel arrangements” introduced by the revised Package Travel Directive and new travel legislation (see the following question).