Don’t let dream voyages turn into nightmares

Your Money, Your Call

Cresencia Marjorie Chiremba

A FEW weeks ago, my sister Letwin and her friends were set for an excursion of their lifetime as they had meticulously planned an Easter holiday safari in Mozambique.

To make sure they ticked all the boxes in preparation for a perfect trip, they engaged a local travel agency (name withheld).

Little did the group know that their journey would take an unexpected detour into the abyss of deception.

After arriving in Mozambique, it proved to be a trip from hell. Signs of a nasty holiday experience started showing when they arrived at a top lodge that they were initially said to have been booked by the travel agency. Before settling, Letwin and her colleagues were immediately told that they were being transferred to another place.

Reason: The agency had not settled the required accommodation fees.

At the second but inferior and dilapidated lodge, they stayed for the agreed number of days. However, there was trouble when they were about to check out. The responsible authorities would not let them leave because, again, the agency had not settled the holidaymakers’ bill.

This was despite the fact that the voyagers had paid in advance for the agency’s services in full, including settling their travel and accommodation fees for their duration in Mozambique.It later turned out that their agency had not met its end of the deal as funds were allegedly diverted elsewhere. The group’s tour bus was impounded over the outstanding bill. They ended up scrounging for bus fare back home.

The allure of travel is universal as the venture is a passport to new cultures, breathtaking landscapes and unforgettable memories. However, lurking beneath the glossy travel brochures and Instagram-worthy snapshots is a darker reality: the world of travel scams.  These unscrupulous actors prey on our wanderlust, leaving unsuspecting travellers stranded, disillusioned and robbed of their hard-earned money.Travel fraud is real and has a serious impact on victims.But how can we safeguard our dreams?

The anatomy of travel scandals begins with fraudsters who create bogus travel agencies, complete with professional websites and enticing offers. Travellers, eager to secure their dream vacations, fall into their traps because of enticing too-good-to-be-true packages. They then conduct phantom bookings, where you pay for flights, accommodation or tours that do not exist. Victims arrive at airports or hotels only to discover their reservations were mere illusions.

In a typical magician’s disappearing act, some travel agents vanish into thin air after receiving payments while others simply give flimsy explanations until one gets tired of making follow-ups.

Others simply stop responding to e-mails while phone lines become unreachable. Talk of shattered dreams! Although legitimate travel agencies at times carry hidden fees in fine print, scammers take this to another level. They invent invoices for services such as accommodation and activities. They are so good that it is hard to notice you are being scammed until you finally travel.

These acts take an emotional toll on travellers. They erode trust, which is the very foundation of any traveller-agency relationship. Just imagine saving for years for that holiday in Okavango, only to find yourself stranded in a dingy hotel or guest house?

Victims grapple with feelings of betrayal, questioning their judgement and vulnerability. This toll extends beyond the individual as families, friends and communities also feel and share the burden.Local economies equally suffer because they divert resources away from honest operators, stifling growth and development in the travel and tourism sector. In the end, it becomes difficult to create jobs, fund conservation efforts or even to attract more visitors.

Travel scammers tarnish the industry’s reputation because their nefarious activities cast a shadow over the entire industry. This means less people will trust agencies in handling their travel affairs.

However, it is up to the prospective travellers to be vigilant and do their research. You must scrutinise agencies before you make a booking. Read reviews, verify credentials and ask questions. Remember, if an offer seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Always demand clear pricing, receipts and contracts. Do not settle for vague promises.Let us ensure that our hard-earned money pays for authentic adventures, not deceitful escapades.

Cresencia Marjorie Chiremba is a marketing consultant with a strong passion for customer experience. For comments, suggestions and trainings, she can be reached at: [email protected] or +263 712 979 461, 0719 978 3357, 0772 978 335.