Imserso booking website collapse causes chaos for Spanish travel agencies

Travel agencies in the Canary Islands and Balearic Islands have reported significant disruptions due to the collapse of the 'Turismo Social' website during the peak reservation period for the Imserso 2026-2027 campaign. The outage, which lasted several hours on September 17, prevented users from making online bookings, leading to long queues at physical offices and saturated telephone lines.

The Asociación Canaria de Agencias de Viajes y Turoperadores (ACAVyT) and Aviba have expressed concern over the reputational damage and economic impact on retailers. Because agencies act as intermediaries without the power to assign spots or modify program conditions, they are bearing the brunt of customer frustration.

Industry representatives are demanding a technical report from Imserso and the contracted operators regarding the cause of the failure and corrective measures. They are also calling for an official emergency protocol that includes direct communication channels with agencies, standardized messaging for users, and validated alternative booking procedures during technical failures.