Conquest Vacations Collapse Shows Ugly Side of Tourism
We saw last year what happened to stranded passengers when Zoom airlines went under. Here is Halifax the airport seized the Zoom jet and vacationers were left holding the bag, literally, and worthless tickets. Now a traveler leader, Conquest Vacations, has closed its doors and hundreds of Canadians are not only left in foreign countries they are being treated like unwanted refugees.
In many destinations including Mexico Canadians are being harassed for money because the money they paid Conquest has not been paid to the vacation spots. Clashes with security were common as Canadians tried to leave their hotels but were being pushed back onto the premises.
The hotels say they haven’t been paid and demand X amount of money. But the situation smacks of usuary because the hotels are never firm as to what they are owed. So there is a lot of haggling going on.
In this economic station there is no such thing as a “bonafide business.” What seems to be solid could actually have the patina of Swiss cheese so be financially careful when you travel.
1. Reputable Travel Agencies: Always go through a reputable travel agent when booking vacations. There are reputable inline services too. You need an angel on your shoulder when a crisis occurs.
2. Good Credit Card: Always travel with a credit card with at least $5,000 headroom on it. It is a good idea to pay for the trip on a credit card as the card company will reimburse your loss.
3. Contact Numbers: Have the local numbers of your consulate in all countries you will visit as well as your local government officials back home. In Canad this would be MLS’s and MP’s.
4. Travelers Cheques: In a foreign country some companies like taxis might not take cards. So have about $500 in travelers cheques on hand for emergencies.
However, I think tourist destinations could be a lot more sympathetic towards travelers who have suffered the misfortune of having their paid vacation companies go under. Because these places rely on repeat business. Now there are about 2,000 Canadians who won’t go back to Cancun. And in this economy the tourism councils down there should be very afraid. Because 2,000 upset customers translates into headlines in Canada and both travelers and travel agents will be wary about booking there.
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