The North Goa District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has directed a tour operator based in Taleigao to refund a booking amount of Rs 9.8 lakh to 15 individuals for failing to organize a pilgrimage tour to the Holy Land. Additionally, the operator must pay Rs 15,000 as litigation costs.
Details of the Complaint
According to the complainants, a 12-day tour was scheduled to commence on April 23, 2023, covering Israel, Jordan, Palestine, and Egypt. Each traveler had paid Rs 1.1 lakh for the trip. The commission's president, Bela Naik, along with members Auroliano de Oliveira and Rejitha Rajan, observed that the tour operators, Robin Rodrigues and Jerson Martins, deliberately withheld the money paid by Ezilda Sapeco and 14 others.
Mental Stress Caused to Senior Citizens
The commission noted that Rodrigues and Martins caused mental stress to Sapeco and the other complainants, most of whom are senior citizens. The order was delivered on a complaint filed in November 2022 against Rodrigues, proprietor of Flamingo Holidays Worldwide, and Martins for canceling the tour and failing to return the booking amount.
Payment and Cancellation Timeline
The travelers initially paid Rs 5,000 each as a booking amount to Rodrigues. However, they were later informed that the tour rate had increased to Rs 1.2 lakh per person. Each traveler was required to pay a minimum of Rs 60,000 to cover tickets, visa processing fees, and other travel expenses. In total, the group paid Rs 9.8 lakh to the tour operator.
Despite receiving the payments, Rodrigues did not initiate the visa process or finalize travel arrangements. Instead, he requested the travelers to allow the tour to be postponed. Subsequently, he assigned Martins, another tour operator, to handle the travel arrangements. The tour was rescheduled to September 2023, but no progress was made, and the tour was ultimately canceled.
Consumer Complaint and Relief
The complainants sought a refund but received no response from either Rodrigues or Martins, compelling them to approach the consumer commission. The commission's order provides relief to the affected travelers, emphasizing the obligation of service providers to fulfill their commitments.
