Conquest Customers Have Dream Vacations Ruined

Yesterday, vacationers and would-be travelers suffered through the revelation that tour operator Conquest Vacations had ceased operations. While those looking to go on vacation may have felt the inconvenience of having to make alternative plans, the immediate victims of this unfortunate occurrence were those who were already on the trip that they booked through the now-defunct organization.

According to Toronto’s 680News today, as many as 100 customers of Conquest Vacations in Mexico were forced to either pay an additional $1,000 to stay at their resorts or simply leave. Some vacationers have literally had their dream vacations turned into nightmares.

24-year-old Sarah Saysfi of Brampton had plans to stay in Cancun until this Sunday and now she and her friends find themselves without a place to stay until then. Although Conquest Vacations has ensured its customers that they would not be stranded without a flight home, it is clear that no plans have been made to ensure that the accommodations of their customers are secure for the duration of their vacations.

Saysfi spoke to 680News about her dilemma: “My whole family is just calling, trying to find out if we are okay. They are all worried, especially with the stuff going on in Mexico right now, they don't want us out on the street…Everyone is mad, they are all yelling at the staff at the hotel, saying they are not going to leave, that they can't just kick them out like that, what are they supposed to do, and the hotel staff is basically just saying we have no choice, we're not getting paid, so someone has to pay us”.

Fellow vacationers at the Oasis resort in Cancun have actually been threatened with jail time by hotel managers for not paying up. The Toronto Star's website spoke to Toronto resident Bissoongai Seepersaud, who revealed that hotel staff insisted that they would be reporting her to the police for not paying for her vacation even though she had paid for it before leaving Canada. She is visiting Mexico along with her sister and four children.

According to TheStar.com, “Unconfirmed reports have suggested that vacationers at other hotels were facing similar threats from management”.